China is well prepared to fight the spread of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) as peak season for the virus begins, a Health Ministry spokesman said Friday.

Deng Haihua, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said at a press conference here, it was important to stop HFMD from spreading as it has a high mortality and is a threat to children's health.

China reported 186 deaths from HFMD in May, 11 more than that in April. The number of total HFMD cases reached 354,347 in May, a 43 percent increase from April.

Medical experts said the virus peaks during the hotter months in China, or from May to July.

Deng said the ministry had dispatched medical experts as supervisors to disease-endemic regions and would train more medical staff specialized in HFMD prevention and treatment, especially at rural health facilities.

Speaking about the potential of an A/H1N1 flu outbreak, Deng said A/H1N1 cases represented a decreasing share of total flu-like cases.

"By autumn this year when a new round of influenza might strike, A/H1N1 flu could be downgraded to a seasonal flu," he said.

China reported 48 cases of A/N1N1 flu and one death in May.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2010)