China virus spreads to the capital

Source: al Jazeera

The number of people affected by the deadly EV-71 virus has risen to more than 9,000, including people in Beijing, Chinese officials have said.

Beijing health officials said on Monday that there were 1,482 reported cases of the infection in the capital.

At least 26 children have died so far from the severe form of foot and mouth disease.

Officials said the city health authorities were on high alert
and might "suggest" that schools and day-care centres be closed if the situation worsens.



Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A88D2C0C-2920-4DEA-A066-17E156B2AC72.htm

Just asking.

oh oh. . .

Perfect to spread this all over the world. Sweet :hide:

What the hell is foot and mouth disease anyways?

http://www.vadscorner.com/outbreak.html

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (Enteroviruses- Coxsackieviruses and Enterovirus 71)
CDC
“Can HFMD be prevented-”
Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease
Health Central - HFM
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease an excellent list of linkable sites and photos
New Zealand dermnet - Hand foot & mouth disease
Understanding the Coxsackie virus by Dr. W.M.Chong as appeared in New Straits Times, Malaysia. Focus. Pg.11, Friday, June 13, 1997.
Picornaviruses for detail information for this group of viruses.
Enteroviruses a description of the various types of viruses in this group.
Enteroviruses a brief summary.
Update of Enterovirus Infection in Infants and Children-The Pediatric Bulletin.
ALL the Virology on the WWW - Picornavirudae
Picornavirus Homepage Genus Enterovirus.
Enterovirus outbreak in children in Taiwan (sequences now available - AF119795; AF119796)
Another complete genome of a Taiwanese enterovirus 71 isolate (AF136379)
List of Human and Animal Enterovirus Prototype Strains
Picornavirus from Medmicro
The Big Picture Book of viruses-Picornaviridae
Course BS335: Virology-Picornaviruses
The Jena Picornavirus Page

Emerging Infectious Diseases
Emerging Viral Diseases of Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific; J.S. Mackenzie et al. Vol. 7, No. 3 Supplement Jun 2001.

(lots of links)

"Foot and mouth disease" (as opposed to "foot in mouth disease" - an ailment politicians are prone to) is strictly a disease of children. Of course, adult tourists could bring it back with them, if their personal hygiene leaves something to be desired.

Normally, it's a mild illness in children. Either the Chinese strain is especially virulent, or Chinese children are particularly vulnerable. The latter wouldn't surprise me at all, considering the pollution levels in China, the crowded living conditions and the occasionally marginal nutrition status in some areas. If it's a really nasty strain, though, the problem could soon get beyond China.

Wash your hands, people! And teach your kids to do the same. Strict handwashing was shown to limit polio epidemics in the days before an effective vaccine was available. It's time to relearn that lesson.

Edited to add link: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/hfhf.htm

Wash those hands!

is a rather lovely and unfortunately communicative practice of "family style" sharing of food servings... lots of double dipping occurs at the dinner table.

Wet markets can also be a problem when livestock eats the remains or drinks the blood of other livestock from farms that otherwise would not cohabitate.

I didn't experience it, but my sister did.

The system is state-owned, but the managers treat is as if they owned the hospital.

I saw doctors smoking in the corridor, chemicals put in fridges that weren't cold enough, the nurses demanding that I use their services even if I wasn't sick, and so on.