Toddler virus in China kills three in new outbreak
Posted by feww on October 20, 2008
Three children die in China’s second outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease
At least three children have died in eastern China from hand, foot and mouth disease in the country’s second outbreak of the deadly toddler virus this year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
The three victims were aged below one and came from Jian’ou City. Health officials reported another 113 cases since beginning of October and warned that the disease was epidemic in parts of coastal Fujian province, Xinhua said.
The first outbreak of the virus in southern China killed at least 40 people in April and May, and sickened more than 27,000 others, mostly toddlers.
Hand, foot and mouth disease notice posted at a children’s hospital in Beijing. (PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images). Image maybe subject to copyright
“Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common childhood illness, but the outbreaks in China have been linked with enterovirus 71 (EV71), which can cause a severe form of the disease characterized by high fever, paralysis and meningitis.” Reuters reported.
Enteroviruses usually spread through contact with the carriers infected blisters or feces.
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