China's Ministry of Health on Monday warned of a rising incidence of infectious intestinal diseases and urged local health authorities and schools to step up preventive measures.

The incidence of infectious intestinal diseases on the Chinese mainland in August rose by 12.19 percent from July, to reach 93,543 cases and 38 deaths, said the ministry in its monthly epidemic report.

It was still a high prevalence season for intestinal diseases and health authorities needed to strengthen surveillance, reporting and control of outbreaks.

Schools and kindergartens should closely monitor infectious intestinal illnesses among children and prepare control measures, the ministry said.

The ministry recorded a total of 1,044 deaths from infectious diseases in August, 246 more than the previous month.

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) was the highest of all reported infectious diseases on the mainland in August, followed by hepatitis B, bacillary and amoebic dysentery, syphilis and gonorrhea.

Rabies, TB, AIDS, encephalitis B and hepatitis B were the top five killer diseases last month.

The country's law on prevention of infectious diseases stipulates 27 diseases that must be reported, including cholera, viral hepatitis, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), AIDS and avian influenza.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2006)