Deadly Enterovirus Claims the Lives of at Least 20 Children in Eastern China

The outbreak of a deadly intestinal virus in Fuyang City, in east China's Anhui Province, has caused the deaths of 20 children and almost 1,200 others have fallen ill since early March. There is a heightened sense of panic among residents, according to state media.

The source of the Enterovirus 71 (EV71) was not identified in the report, nor is it known why Fuyang has been hit so hard. However, this is the season when the virus is prevalent. Food and drinking water in schools and villages around Fuyang are being inspected for possible sources of the virus.

EV71 is an intestinal virus that is one of several viruses that causes hand-foot-mouth disease. Initially, 71 infections were discovered in March and later, according to the report, victims poured into hospitals with symptoms of fever, blisters, ulcers in the mouth, or rashes on the hands and feet.

As of Monday, 20 children had died and 371 remained hospitalized, four of whom were reported to be in critical condition. A total of 1,199 children have fallen ill with the virus, with most being less than two years of age and none older than six years. Five hundred and fifty children have recovered from the virus. According to newspaper reports, rumors dispersed through the internet, phone calls, and text messages caused the spread of panic that led parents to keep children out of school and inside their homes.

EV71 is spread through direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons. The virus causes fever and blisters or ulcers inside the mouth and on the limbs and sometimes causes lethally high fever, paralysis, and swelling of the brain or its lining.

Chen Zhu, China's Minister of Health, visited Fuyang on Saturday following other officials and doctors who have gone there to investigate the situation as well as to help patients, and "fully roll out prevention and control work," according to the Xinhua News Agency.

EV71 outbreaks have occurred in Taiwan and Malaysia as well as a few East European countries in the past. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that parents keep their children away from public places during an outbreak and make sure they frequently wash their hands. The illness mainly strikes children below the age of 10.

According to the Beijing office of the WHO, there does not appear to be an epidemiological link among the cases although most of the children lived in rural areas. "We believe the situation is still of concern, especially because of the current high reported case fatality rate compared to previous years," said Dr. Cris Tunon, the acting China representative.

The number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease has been on the rise in China with Beijing reporting more than 1,000 cases in the first six months of last year and 1,200 cases reported in the Eastern province of Shandong in May.

Tunon said that treatment of the virus focuses on managing its complications, which can include meningitis and heart failure. There is no vaccine or antiviral agent available to treat or prevent the virus.

Fuyang has set up a leading group for control and prevention of the virus and other efforts to stop the spread of the infection include improved disease monitoring, more epidemiological surveys and lab tests.