China ordered authorities across the nation on Saturday to fight hand, foot and mouth disease, after the death of an 18-month-old boy suggested a virus causing the illness had spread from eastern provinces to the south, reported Reuters.
The boy died in the southern province of Guangdong from a suspected case of the disease that was apparently caused by the enterovirus 71, or EV71, the official Xinhua news agency quoted health authorities there as saying.
Twenty-two children have died from hand, foot and mouth disease and over 3,000 people have been infected in Fuyang city, in the eastern province of Anhui, since a mass outbreak of the EV71 intestinal virus began spreading there in early March.
"Local Communist Party and government officials are on high alert. Health authorities are urgently taking measures to prevent the disease and treat seriously ill children," the Health Ministry said in a statement.
It said special equipment was being installed in children's wards of hospitals to treat patients. Local authorities were strengthening the supervision of food safety and water quality in an effort to stop the disease from spreading.
Of the 3,321 people infected, 978 were in hospital and 58 were critically ill or in serious condition, the ministry said.
It ordered health authorities across the country to step up monitoring for cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, requiring all cases to be reported within 24 hours.
Officials were told to go to nurseries and primary schools to educate staff there on hygiene and prevention methods. The ministry said Chinese scientists would step up research into the disease.