Health officials fired for loose work

Two health officials have been fired for mismanagement in the reporting of hand, foot-and-mouth disease and investigators are looking into a possible cover-up, state media said yesterday.

China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the two officials in Minquan county, Henan province, lost their jobs following a preliminary investigation by the Health Ministry. It did not elaborate on how they mismanaged reporting of the data.

The investigation follows a news report last week by China National Radio that medical staff at the county's hospital had apparently falsified medical histories in order to hide the large number of cases in the area.