At least five people died of the epidemic cerebrospinal
meningitis that affected some schools in several cities of east
China's Anhui
Province, the provincial health authorities?confirmed
Saturday.?
Most of the dead were students and other seven were under
quarantine, according to Du Changzhi, deputy director of Anhui's
Health Department.
Du said that the epidemic started in schools and has spread to
11 cities, including Wuhu, Chuzhou, Anqing, Chaohu and Hefei,
during the past month.
From December 20 to January 28 the Anhui health authorities have
received reports of 61 cases of the disease, 49 of which have been
cured, Du said.
He said students made up 77 percent of the total cases, which
are up sharply from 14 in the same period a year ago.
Meningitis is an acute infectious disease most often caused by a
bacterial or viral infection of the membranes around the brain and
spinal cord and characterized by fever, vomiting and intense
headache.
The epidemic in the province was caused by the group C of
meningitis diplococcus, a kind of bacteria, and most of the
patients were school students aged from 13 to 18, according to
Du.
The official said that the health authorities have promptly
mobilized to control the disease and take care of the patients.
Official sources indicated that the meningitis epidemic caused
by the group C bacteria was first reported in September 2003 in
Qingyang County. Previous outbursts were usually caused by group A
bacteria, he said.
Du said that compared with group A, group C bacteria spread
easier and were more difficult to control. The inoculation against
the group A bacteria cannot produce immunity against the group C
bacteria, which probably exist widely in the province, and might be
the reason of the current outbreak.
The provincial authorities of health and education have issued
guidelines with instructions on how to fight the disease,
especially in the schools, and publish the latest development every
day.
Medical institutes have prepared enough inoculation bacterin and
medicine for the disease, Du said.
The health authorities also suggested people who suffered from
fever, headache, sore throat or cough go to a hospital for
treatment.
??
(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2005)