Disease spread at schools 'natural'

Parents and children need not panic about hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) despite recent reported cases of minor epidemics at some nursery schools, an expert claims.

"There is no need for panic as HFMD is not fatal and it fixes itself," said a health consultant surnamed Wang with Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The expert opinion comes after a small number of epidemics were reported in some nursery schools and kindergartens in early March. The names of the schools and kindergartens remain unannounced.