At least nine infants have died of the contagious hand-foot-mouth disease since the beginning of the year in Shandong Province, the local health authority said Thursday.

The latest victims were named as Zhang Yapeng and Cao Jiakai, who died in Heze City on Wednesday.

Zhang, 20 months, was hospitalized on March 29 and died at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, according to the provincal health administration.

Cao, 16 months, was admitted to hospital on March 30. He suffered breathing problems and his heartbeat stopped several times. He was moved to ICU Tuesday afternoon, but died at midnight.

Heze has registered seven deaths from the disease in the outbreak and Jining City two. The first victim was a 20-month boy who died in Heze on March 22.

In Shandong, 7,632 children were infected by the disease.

Heze has launched a major disinfection campaign particularly in the rural areas. More medical equipment have been sent to two key hospitals and medical staff are being trained in disease control.

The provincial health administration issued an order Wednesday that kindergartens must be closed for at least two weeks if two or more cases are diagnosed among pupils.

The disease, which is more common in summer and autumn, is not included in the routine reporting list of infectious diseases in China.

Hand-foot-mouth disease is a common childhood illness that mainly affects children under the age of 10. Symptoms include fever, sores in the mouth and a rash with blisters. It can sometimes be fatal if complications occur.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2009)