Death Toll From Foot and Mouth Disease in China Doubles

Forty children in China died from the highly contagious hand, foot and mouth disease in March, almost doubling the death toll in the previous two months, state media reported.

The disease, which is especially harmful to young children, also infected over 77,750 people last month, prompting calls to boost efforts to control the spread of the illness in China, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak in South Korea
More than 150 cows were slaughtered in the South Korean town of Pocheon as health officials scrambled to prevent another outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease

"Spring and summer are a peak period for infectious diseases," Vice Premier Li Keqiang was quoted as saying.

"Preventing and controlling various infectious diseases such as the hand, foot and mouth disease is a key task."

In January and February this year, 17 people died of the disease and a further 61,429 were infected, according to official figures. By way of comparison, 353 were killed last year by the illness.

Fifty People Succumb to Foot and Mouth Disease in China
A highly contagious disease especially harmful to young children has killed 50 people in China this year, the health ministry said Friday as it warned the worst was yet to come.

An outbreak of the disease has been reported in provinces and regions in south, central, north and eastern China, the report said late Friday.

The illness, which is common in China, causes fever, blister-like eruptions in the mouth and skin rashes. It can be fatal in children because their immune systems are immature.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Claims Three Lives in China
Chinese state media is reporting that the hand, foot and mouth disease virus has killed three children in the country so far.

Source-AFP
SRM

Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak in China Takes 32 Lives
The Chinese state media said on Friday that the number of Chinese children confirmed dead from hand, foot and mouth disease has risen to 32 .