More Deaths as Deadly virus spreads to southern China
Pastor Dale Morgan
More Deaths as Deadly virus spreads to southern China*
Reuters
Saturday, May 3, 2008; 2:53 AM
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A rapidly spreading virus that has already killed
22 children in eastern China has killed an 18-month-old boy in southern
China's Guangdong province, the official Xinhua news agency said on
Saturday.
The boy died in Guangdong's Foshan city from a suspected case of hand,
foot and mouth disease, which was probably caused by the enterovirus 71,
or EV71, Xinhua quoted provincial disease control authorities as saying.
A mass outbreak of the intestinal virus has been spreading in Fuyang
city in the eastern province of Anhui since early March.
Xinhua did not say whether authorities believed EV71 had spread from
Anhui to Guangdong. Official media reported earlier that the virus had
spread from Anhui to the neighboring province of Henan.
The World Health Organization said on its website (www.who.int) that the
number of hospitalized cases has gradually increased since the end of
March with a sharp increase in cases since April 19.
It said 1,884 cases had been reported since April 29.
Many countries in the Western Pacific have implemented heightened
surveillance for hand, foot and mouth disease, WHO said.
There is no vaccine or antiviral agent available to treat or prevent
EV71. Enteroviruses spread mostly through contact with infected blisters
or feces and can cause high fever, paralysis and swelling of the brain.
(Reporting by Andrew Torchia)