Shanghai Health Bureau reported a fatal case of hand, foot and mouth disease yesterday. The dead boy is the first person to have died of HFMD in the city, where the epidemic has been controlled.

The two-year-old identified as Yu died at Shanghai Public Health Center on Saturday. The boy, who was from Shangshui County in Henan Province and living in Songjiang District, broke out in a rash on his hands and feet for three days. He was sent to the hospital on Saturday night.

He was confirmed as having HFMD with viral encephalitis and received hospital treatment. But his condition deteriorated and he died hours after arriving at the hospital, officials said.

Medical experts are investigating the case.

This year the city reported 10,340 cases of HFMD.

Most of the sufferers were children aged up to six. All 18 districts and Chongming County have reported detection of the disease.

The bureau said it was maintaining strict inspections and monitoring of the disease. All kindergartens are required to carry out daily morning checks and disinfection procedures.

Since an increasing amount of children living at home were reported to have caught the disease, the bureau said it would enhance education to promote knowledge of HFMD and prevent the virus spreading from adults to children.

"Educating adults to adopt good habits regarding personal hygiene is very important," said Song Guofan, an official from Shanghai Health Bureau. "It is known adults can spread the virus to children without developing symptoms themselves."

(Shanghai Daily June 17, 2008)