 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
China warns deadly virus could kill more
Beijing (AFP) April 30, 2008 The Chinese government on Wednesday warned that a lethal intestinal virus that killed 20 children in east China could cause more deaths. The virus, known as Enterovirus 71, or EV71, has already killed 20 children in Fuyang city in Anhui province, and has infected 1,884 kids, the state-controlled Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday. "We estimate that the hand, foot and mouth disease [caused by EV71] in Fuyang city will still continue for some time, the number of cases will continue to increase, and serious and fatal cases might still continue to happen," the Health Ministry said in a statement on its website. The World Health Organisation earlier in the week also voiced concern over the epidemic in Anhui. "Although Enteroviruses infecting humans are found worldwide and Enterovirus 71 has been reported in China over recent years we believe the situation is still of concern, especially because of the current high reported case fatality rate compared to previous years," Dr Cris Tunon, a senior official at the WHO, said in a statement emailed to AFP on Wednesday. But the Health Ministry tried to calm fears, saying that now that cases were being discovered early, and medical work had been strenghtened, "the successful treatment rate of the serious cases will markedly increase." Reports of the outbreak only emerged on Monday on Xinhua, which said that hospitals in Fuyang city started in early March to take in children with symptoms of the virus, leading to accusations by Chinese press of a cover-up by local authorities. The incident was further amplified by reports that 16 children had caught EV71 in Henan province, which borders Anhui on the West, sparking fears the disease had spread from Fuyang city. The children are now cured and out of hospital, Ma Jianzhong, head of Henan's health department, was quoted as saying in the Beijing Times. "It is not because Henan had a case of hand, foot and mouth disease that one can say the disease spread to Henan," Rao Keqin, an official at the Health Ministry, said. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola
Chinese officials accused of covering up killer virus
Beijing (AFP) April 29, 2008Local authorities in eastern China tried to cover up an outbreak of a highly contagious virus that has killed 20 children and left more than 1,500 others ill, Chinese press reports said Tuesday. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
