The number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases reported in the city in March rose by almost 33 percent from last year, the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission said on Tuesday.

Authorities recorded 3,952 cases and two fatalities in the month, up from 2,977 cases in March 2013, it said.

The annual peak season for the disease runs from late March to June. Though Shanghai has yet to make public its figures for April — they have been reported to state authorities — health officials said the infection rate is stable and below the national average.

Nationwide in April, 426,000 cases and 70 deaths from the disease were reported, up from 172,000 cases and 25 fatalities a year earlier.

The commission said in a notice yesterday that health departments have been told to strengthen their monitoring procedures in kindergartens and schools, and to take all steps necessary to prevent the spread of the disease.