# 1965
The outbreak of HFMD (Hand Foot and Mouth Disease) in China has now affected, according to State Media, nearly 25,000 children. That is a jump of more than 20,000 cases in the past week.
Despite hopes that this outbreak's spread may be slowing, HFMD often doesn't peak until June or July in China. Generally a mild childhood disease, common in the Far East and tropics, HFMD is usually caused by the Coxsackievirus A16.
Starting in the late 1990's, however, outbreaks of HFMD caused by the EV71 virus have produced greater mortality and morbidity.
I wrote a background piece on HFMD last week which may be read here.
Death toll in China disease outbreak hits 34
Updated at: 1040 PST, Friday, May 09, 2008
BEIJING: The number of Chinese children confirmed dead from hand, foot and mouth disease has risen to 34 with nearly 25,000 people infected but the outbreak's spread may be slowing, state media said on Friday.
Local news agency reported four new deaths, including an eight-month-old girl in southern China's Guangdong province and a one-year-old boy in the southwestern Guangxi region.
Two more children also had died in the hard-hit eastern province of Anhui, it said, adding that the number of cases nationwide had risen to 24,934 as of Thursday.
The disease is common in China. More than 80,000 cases were reported last year, with 17 deaths.
