Despite China's determined efforts to contain rabies the number of people killed by the disease climbed slightly to 326 in October, it was reported here on Friday by China's Health Ministry. 

Rabies accounted for 46 percent of all fatalities caused by infectious diseases reported on the Chinese mainland in October, according to the ministry.

In September rabies caused 318 deaths. The country has recorded 2,254 rabies cases in the first nine months of the year. This is an increase of 29.69 percent over the same period in 2005. 

The disease emerged as the top public health priority four months ago after it caused the deaths of three people in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The local authorities in Yunnan and Shandong provinces sought to curb the risk by exterminating dogs.

Campaigns to clamp down on stray dogs have been launched in many other locations including Beijing.

The Health Ministry has started a program to conduct regular monitoring for rabies across the country to collect evidence as a basis for drafting regulations to effectively control the disease.

Rabies is followed by tuberculosis, AIDS, hepatitis B and infant tetanus on the list of the most deadly infectious diseases in China.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2006)