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Boy, 2, Shanghai's first HFMD fatality
By Cao Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-18 07:32 While infections continue to be reported, the disease is under control, the bureau said. On June 10, four children at a kindergarten in Shanghai's Pudong district were diagnosed with HFMD. After a temporary suspension, classes there have resumed, but the affected youngsters will remain under observation at home for two weeks. This year, 10,340 children aged up to 6 have been diagnosed with HFMD in Shanghai, according to figures from the health bureau. Infections have been reported in all 19 of the city's districts. Yu, however, is the first fatality in Shanghai. The health bureau said in a statement that all kindergartens and primary schools have been told to increase efforts to prevent outbreaks of the disease. All students must have their temperatures checked before entering classrooms and teachers are required to use ultraviolet radiation to sterilize classrooms. Also, local people will be given more education on how to prevent the disease, it said. Last week, the Ministry of Health said more than 176,000 HFMD cases were reported across the country in May, with the highest number for a single day being 11,501 on May 14. On June 5, the number had fallen to 3,922. Anhui province, where the first HFMD infection of the year was reported, had 10,700 cases last month, with four deaths confirmed. The provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang, Hebei, Shandong and Hunan reported the next highest numbers of cases, the ministry said. According to the Guidelines Regarding the Prevention and Control of HFMD published on the Ministry of Health's website, the disease can be caused by several intestinal viruses, but EV71 and the Coxsackievirus are the most common. HFMD usually starts with a slight fever followed by blisters and ulcers in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet. Those infected with EV71 tend to show the more serious symptoms, and in some cases, the virus can lead to meningitis, encephalitis, pulmonary edema and paralysis. Xinhua contributed to the story (China Daily 06/18/2008 page4)
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