China child virus spreads further, now kills a child in Beijing

The incidence of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in China has continued to surge, claiming two more lives in China. The state media stated that the deadly Enterovirus 71 (EV71), a strain of what is often called hand, foot and mouth disease, has so far infected nearly 25,000 people countrywide, the majority of them under two years old.

The health authority in China on Wednesday confirmed that two children had died of HFMD in the country, bringing the nationwide death toll to 42 since late March. One of the two deaths was reported in Beijing, the first of the capital.

One of the latest victims was a 13-month-old boy from Chaoyang District who died of hand, foot and mouth disease on the way to hospital in Beijing, Chinese media said today citing Beijing Health Bureau spokeswoman Deng Xiaohong. Another child died of the illness in Beijing, but the death was counted in the victim's home province of Hebei, which neighbors Beijing.

The latest fatalities came merely two days after China's health ministry said that the epidemic had been contained and the number of infections was decreasing, especially in the worst-hit central provinces.

The hand, foot and mouth disease has entrapped at least seven Chinese provinces plus Beijing, infecting more than 24,934 children. As of Monday, 3,606 hand, foot and mouth infections had been reported in Beijing, with 32 admitted in Beijing hospitals, eight of whom remained in serious condition.

The recent fatalities have raised concerns for Chinese authorities who on the one hand are struggling hard to bring the disease under control and on the other making immense efforts to handle the magnitude-7.9 earthquake that struck Monday and killed more than 12,000 people.

The spread of hand, foot and mouth virus and the natural disaster hit the country at the time when the Chinese authorities are in preparation for the Beijing Olympics in August. The HFMD is expected to reach its peak in June and July, shortly before the Beijing Olympics starts in August.

The potentially lethal enterovirus 71 that triggers hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) spreads very rapidly and can cause blisters in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet. In worst cases, it can cause brain, heart and lung damage. The outbreak was first emerged in Fuyang city in March.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes HFMD as mild (but can lead to serious and fatal diseases such as encephalitis or a type of paralysis) and says nearly all patients recover in seven to 10 days without medical treatment. It usually affects infants and children, and is highly contagious (can be transmitted through nose and throat discharges), can spread through direct contact with the mucus or feces of an infected person and is not generally fatal.

The symptoms of the disease include fever, rash in the mouth, sores with blisters on palms of hands and soles of feet, mouth ulcers or sores or blisters may be present on the buttocks of small children and infants. It often begins with a sore throat All the symptoms may not be present at one time.

There is no specific treatment for the disease and the individual symptoms may be eased with the help of medicines. Due to its contagious nature the child must be kept in isolation and high temperatures may be controlled by medication and cool baths. Treatment with antibiotics is not effective. Salt water mouth rinses (1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 glass of warm water) is said to be soothing if the child is able to rinse without swallowing. An adequate fluid intake must be ensured because swallowing may be painful. Extra fluid is needed when fever is present.

HFMD is not to be confused with “foot-and-mouth disease”, which is a disease affecting sheep, cattle and swine.