Beijing, June 30: As China recovers from the SARS epidemic, Guangdong province has reported atleast 25 deaths due to Encephalitis, officials said. Guanngdong province in southern China, also the epicentre of the SARS outbreak, has reported nearly 300 Encephalitis B and 48 cases 48 suspected cases of the disease, Chinese health ministry said. "Although a number of cases of encephalitis b have been detected in Guangdong province since the end of April, the epidemic situation there is under control," the ministry claimed. The incidence of Encephalitis B remains relatively low in China, however, vigilance should be maintained given the fact that the country is prone to scattered small-scale outbreaks each year, the ministry said. The ministry has also warned local officials not to cover up, distort or delay the reporting of accurate information about the spread of the epidemic.

As a seasonal epidemic, Encephalitis B usually starts to appear in south China around June, gradually moving north over the following month with more cases being reported in September.

At present, preventive measures, which include administering the Encephalitis B vaccine to local residents and eliminating mosquitoes, are in full swing in the province, and hospitals are working all out to cure sufferers, Xinhua news agency said.
Bureau Report