On April 10, the Ministry of Health disclosed details of
infectious diseases nationwide for March 2007.
A total of 351,435 categories A and B infection cases were reported
on the mainland resulting in 613 deaths.
Cases reported accounted for all 22 types of categories A and B
infectious diseases except for plague, cholera, SARS,
poliomyelitis, and diphtheria.
The most frequently reported disease was pulmonary tuberculosis
(TB), followed by hepatitis B, syphilis, dysentery, and gonorrhea.
These five accounted for 87.43 percent of reported cases.
TB was recorded as the deadliest infectious disease, with rabies,
hepatitis B, AIDS, and infant tetanus, also causing a number of
fatalities. 88.74 percent of deaths could be attributed to these
diseases.
50,911 cases of category C infectious diseases were documented,
leading to 7 deaths. Although no cases of filariasis were reported,
infectious diarrhea, mumps, and German measles accounted for 91.75
percent of illnesses in this category.
During March, 11,176 cases of measles were detected indicating a
17.63 percent rise over last month. The first quarter of 2007 has
seen a rapid increase in the number of measles and German measles
cases with respective 30.38 and 33.29 percent rise over the same
period of last year. Primary and high schools in some regions have
reported widespread outbreaks of these diseases.
With the incidence of respiratory diseases rising in the spring
season, the ministry urged local authorities to keep alert on
infectious diseases and to strengthen surveillance on cases
reported in schools.
(Ministry of Health, April 11, 2007)
Note:
The Chinese Ministry of Health classifies infectious diseases
into categories A, B, and C based on the nature of the disease,
transmission channel, and rate of infection. The most pandemic
diseases -- including plague, cholera, and SARS -- fall into
Category A. Category B diseases spread through more complicated
channels and at a slower rate, including typhoid fever, dengue
fever, and scarlatina. Category C represents the least infectious,
including tuberculosis, snail fever, mumps, and leprosy.