Infectious diseases kill 855 in China last month

A total of 338,939 cases of infectious disease were reported on the Chinese mainland in February, resulting in 855 deaths, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said on Thursday.

The commission identified 221,007 people that had contracted Class B infectious diseases last month, with 849 of these cases fatal, it said in a statement.

Hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhoea and dysentery were the top five infectious diseases in this category, accounting for 93 percent of all Class B cases.

Category C infectious diseases claimed six lives in February, with diarrhea, foot-and-mouth disease and influenza reported the most frequently, according to the statement.

No cases of Class A infectious diseases were reported, the commission said.