Report: 393 people in eastern China sickened by viral disease, outbreak contained

An outbreak of a viral disease common in children has sickened almost 900 people in eastern China but the outbreak has been contained, state media said Saturday.

The outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease began in late April in the city of Linyi in Shandong province, the Xinhua News Agency said.

About 470 patients had recovered by Friday and another 393 people _ mostly children _ were still sick with more than half still in the hospital, Xinhua said, citing Bao Wenhui, the deputy director of the provincial health department.

The latest information was likely a response to media reports earlier this week that said more than two dozen children had died and that there had been a cover-up. The reports also said the true figures had not been released to prevent public panic. Local health officials dismissed those reports as rumors.

China has in the past been accused of foot-dragging in releasing information about outbreaks of diseases such as bird flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

A 2-year-old girl diagnosed as a probable hand, foot and mouth patient died on April 29, but no other deaths have been reported since, Xinhua said.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is common in young children and is characterized by fever, mouth sores and a rash with blisters. It is not related to foot and mouth disease, which infects cattle, sheep and swine.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes hand, foot and mouth disease as mild, and says nearly all patients recover in seven to 10 days without medical treatment. But one cause of the disease may also lead to more serious and fatal diseases such as encephalitis or a type of paralysis, according to the CDC.

Xinhua said local health departments have launched a public awareness campaign and quarantined children who are sick.

Shandong reported 2,477 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in 2005, including one death, and 3,030 cases in 2006, two of which were fatal, the report said.