Surging hand-foot-mouth disease in Hunan

Central China's Hunan province has witnessed a surge in cases of hand-foot-mouth disease since the beginning of this month, local health authorities said Friday.

More than 1,000 cases have been reported in the province over the past week, according to the provincial disease control and prevention center.

The center said Hunan had already recorded more patients suffering with the disease this year than in the same period of 2011, and the epidemic would become severer in April, when it reaches its peak.

Children under three years old are especially susceptible to break-outs of hand-foot-mouth. The virus is usually transmitted through digestive and respiratory systems or through intimate contact.

The infectious disease starts with a slight fever followed by blisters and ulcers in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet.

The Hunan provincial disease control and prevention center has since ordered measures to closely monitor and prevent cases of the disease, especially at primary schools and kindergartens.

China's Ministry of Health on Monday issued a statement urging local governments to intensify the prevention and control of hand-foot-mouth as well as other infectious diseases.

Ministry figures showed that, in February, China's mainland reported over 467,000 cases of infectious disease and 1,246 related deaths, of which 11 people died of hand-foot-mouth.