Intestinal virus infects 15 in Hangzhou and Hong Kong

2008年05月04日 浙江在线新闻网站

Meanwhile, 10 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, caused by Enterovirus 71, have been confirmed in Hong Kong as of today. A four-year-old girl was diagnosed with the disease after having anthemia while her mother complained of similar sickness four days later. Both have now recovered, according to New Express, a Guangzhou-based newspaper.

After 23 pupils showed symptoms of catching the disease in a school where the infected girl studied, authorities decided to close it for two weeks.

Of the 10 cases confirmed so far – two fewer than last year's figure – seven were brought from China's mainland and Taiwan Province, the report said.

Enterovirus 71 has killed 21 children and infected 2,946 in Fuyang City of Anhui Province as of today.

Of the infected, 849 have been cured. Another 879, including 40 seriously ill, remained in hospital under close observation. The outpatients numbered 1,197.

Enterovirus 71 can cause hand, foot and mouth disease. It usually starts with a slight fever followed by blisters or ulcers in the mouth and on the hands and feet. Serious infections can lead to death. No vaccines or therapeutic treatments are available.

It may cause high fever, meningitis, encephalitis, pulmonary edema and paralysis in a small number of children. Paralysis is more common in children under two years of age and meningitis is more common in children from two to five years of age, according to previous reports.

来源： Shanghai Daily 作者： Ni Tao 编辑： 侯玮