Beijing - The number of suspected cases of a virally transmitted hand-foot-mouth disease among Chinese children has risen to 9,729, including 26 deaths, state media said on Monday. At least 1,010 infections were reported in Beijing but a World Health Organization official said the spread of the disease was unlikely to influence the Beijing Olympics in August as only young children were infected, Xinhua news agency said.
The agency said 8,531 infections were reported nationwide, while a state-run website in the eastern province of Zhejiang reported an additional 1,198 cases from January to May, which were apparently not included in the Xinhua total.
One child had died in Zhejiang, bringing the total number of deaths to 26 from the disease, which causes symptoms including ulcers and blisters in the mouth, rashes on the hands and feet and fever.
It is spread mainly by enterovirus or EV71, but can also be transmitted by several other viruses.
The government said the first and largest outbreak reported, in Anhui province to the immediate northeast of Zhejiang, was caused by EV71.
The disease mainly affects infants and young children and is life- threatening in a small number of cases owing to complications like lung haemorrhage.
The WHO said last week that Chinese health authorities were expecting more deaths and believed the virus would peak in June or July.
It remained unclear how many of the thousands of suspected infections were confirmed by tests, although Xinhua said tests had shown the presence of the EV71 virus in 24 of the 25 children who died.
The virus is transmitted through saliva, blister fluid and faeces but it is rare among adults, who are strong enough to fight off the virus.
Sporadic cases had occurred since March but the disease was officially confirmed in Anhui on April 23.
Chinese health authorities have stepped up prevention and control in Anhui and other areas, including enhanced surveillance and training of health care workers at all levels in treatment, prevention and control.
A public awareness campaign has been launched stressing the need for good personal hygiene, mostly by hand washing.
EV71 is usually quickly diagnosed and treated and the deaths in Anhui and other areas are believed to be the result of low awareness about the virus.
