On January 10, the Ministry of Health released information on infectious diseases across the country for December 2006.

A total of 307,910 categories A and B infection cases were reported nationwide (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) with 801 deaths.

Cases reported covered all 21 types of infectious diseases within categories A and B except for plague, cholera, SARS, human bird flu, poliomyelitis and diphtheria.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) topped the list of the most frequently reported illnesses, followed by hepatitis B, dysentery, syphilis and gonorrhea. Altogether they accounted for 85.81 percent of reported cases.

Rabies is followed by TB, AIDS, hepatitis B and tetanus on the list of the deadliest infectious diseases. They accounted for 89.89 percent of deaths.

A total of 88,859 cases of category C infectious diseases were reported with nine deaths. Infectious diarrhea, mumps and influenza were the three most reported illnesses accounting for 96.32 percent in this category.

China reported 201 cases of cerebrospinal meningitis in December with 14 deaths. Compared with November when 46 cases were reported with four deaths, the number of reported cases rose by 336.96 percent.

The ministry ordered local health authorities to tighten supervision over the control of infectious diseases, cerebrospinal meningitis in particular, making prevention work in middle and primary schools a priority.

(Ministry of Health, January 10, 2007)