A lethal virus has now claimed 26 lives with the reported number of sufferers exceeding 8,531, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

All were aged below 6, with the majority being under 2, the Xinhua News Agency quoted the ministry as saying.

The latest death was announced yesterday morning in Zhejiang province. So far, Guangdong has reported three deaths and Anhui, 22.

Tests have confirmed 24 of the deaths were caused by the virus enterovirus 71 or EV71, the ministry said.

A daily update of casualties in Anhui show 622 new cases, increasing the number of children infected there to 5,151.

Dozens of other EV71 cases have been confirmed in other parts of China including Hubei, Shaanxi, Jiangxi, and Hunan provinces. The capital Beijing, has reported cases, as have the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao.

As of Sunday, Beijing had reported at least 1,010 cases, and Guangdong 925.

The virus causes blisters in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet and is commonly known as HFMD.

In Fuyang, where nearly 4,000 HFDM cases have been reported, 22 children have died so far.

All kindergartens have been closed from April 29 to May 12 to stop possible spread of the virus.

Primary and middle schools in the city have reopened following a thorough cleansing and disinfection of them during the May Day holiday.

A researcher surnamed Ning from the Fuyang Center of Disease Prevention and Control told China Daily on Sunday that a 16-year-old person living on the outskirts of the city had developed symptoms of HFMD.

To date, this sufferer is the oldest among all reported HFMD cases in Fuyang, he said.

"Whether it has been caused by EV71 is yet to be confirmed," he said.

A lab test to confirm if it is the EV71 virus will take about a week, as it has to be done in the provincial capital of Hefei, he said.

To quicken viral testing, the health ministry is setting up a laboratory in Fuyang.

Liu Xiaolin, who heads a medical team treating the virus at Fuyang No 2 People's hospital, warned adults of potential invisible EV71 infection.

"Infected adults usually show no symptoms. But they can pass the virus on to others," Liu said.

She urged frequent hand washing and the disinfection of homes.

(China Daily May 6, 2008)