Kindergarten closed for giving children antiviral drug

A private kindergarten in northeast China's Jilin province has been closed for giving antiviral drugs to children, local authorities announced on Saturday afternoon.

Latest investigation confirmed that Fanglin kindergarten in Jilin city had given some children the prescribed medicine moroxydine ABOB to prevent them from catching cold and suffering from other infectious diseases.

The business license of the kindergarten was suspended on Saturday, according to local education bureau.

Some of the children in the kindergarten have shown symptoms such as leg pain, nose bleeds, itchy skin and inflammation in the genital area, according to parents.

Authorities have arranged for children with such symptoms to undergo physical examinations at a local children hospital and arranged professionals to study the inspection results.

As of Saturday afternoon, all the 114 children were in stable condition and have been discharged from the hospital.

Fanglin kindergarten has four branches in Jilin city and more than 320 children. The kindergarten involved in the case is one of branches. Local police have expanded their investigation to other branches.

Local education officials are arranging children in the kindergarten to tranfer to other kindergartens.

The antiviral drug, called moroxydine ABOB, is used to treat the flu. Earlier this week, the drug was also found to have been used on children at two kindergartens in northwest China's Shaanxi province since 2008. Some staff at the kindergartens have been detained by local police.

Children at the two kindergartens in Shaanxi have also shown similar symptoms. Staff at the kindergartens said they had been using the drug to help kids ward off the flu and improve attendance.