Thirteen students have been diagnosed with hepatitis A in a
primary school in east China's Jiangxi Province, local health authorities
said on Saturday.
The outbreak began in mid December in Baiyuan Primary School in
Poyang County, but was under control, said Huang Songquan, director
of the county health bureau.
Huang said the students had been sent to a hospital and their
conditions were stable.
The health bureau disinfected the school and inoculated more
than 300 students and teachers.
An initial investigation has excluded the drinking water sources
and school canteen, but nearby snack outlets are being investigated
as the possible cause of the outbreak, according to the bureau.
Further investigations into the cause of the outbreak are
underway.
In a separate case, 107 people in Jiangxi University of
Traditional Chinese Medicine were confirmed to have hepatitis A
last week.
Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, is caused by infectious
or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver
enlargement, and abdominal pain.
(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2006)