Some 79 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) have been detected by far in Macao, four of which were confirmed as enterovirus 71 (EV71) infections, local health authorities announced Wednesday.

The most severe outbreak of the disease occurred at a local crche, with 14 pupils diagnosed with HFMD, and the faecal samples from four of these young patients tested positive for the highly contagious EV71 virus, according to a press statement released by the Disease Preventive and Control Center of Macao's Health Bureau (SSM).

HFMD is caused by more than one type of virus, and most of the cases involve young children, according to information posted on the website of China's Health Ministry.

EV71 is one of the most common viruses that can cause HFMD, which usually starts with a slight fever followed by blisters and ulcers in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet. If the disease develops, it can lead to death.

To date, none of the young patients from the creche is in critical condition, and none needs to be admitted to hospital, the SSM said in the statement, adding that most of them have recovered.

The SSM first confirmed the occurrence of HFMD at the crche last Friday.

HFMD has led to 28 deaths in China as of Wednesday morning, according to Xinhua's tally based on confirmed death reports from provincial-level health bureaus.

The outbreak of HFMD has led to fatalities mostly in the eastern province of Anhui, where 22 children died after having been infected with EV71. Three deaths were in the southern province of Guangdong, and one in east China's Zhejiang Province.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2008)