Hong Kong health authorities confirmed on Friday that a four-year-old girl has been infected with enterovirus-71 (EV-71), raising the total number of EV-71 cases in the Chinese special administrative region this year to 14.

The kindergarten-cum-child care center in Tseung Kwan O, which the girl has been attending, was advised to suspend classes for two weeks starting Saturday for thorough disinfection, the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health said.

"This is a precautionary measure to prevent further spreading of disease. The Center for Health Protection had conducted field visits and provided health instructions to the staff," the Department of Health said in a statement.

A total of 8 children at the school developed symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease between April 23 and May 5. They sought treatment and none required hospitalization. One of the kids, a four-year-old girl, had fever, oral ulcers and vesicles on her hands and feet since May 2 and was confirmed to be EV-71 positive on Saturday, the statement said.

It was the 14th case of EV-71 infection reported in Hong Kong so far this year. There were 35, 8, 16 and 12 cases respectively in the four years starting 2004.

EV-71 is one sub-category of the intestinal viruses of the picornaviridae family, which often causes the human syndrome known as hand, foot and mouth disease. The disease usually affects infants and children, often leading to small epidemics in nursery schools or kindergartens during the summer and autumn.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2008)