Mysterious disease kills 9 in China southwest
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-07-24 10:05

A strange and unknown disease has taken the lives of nine people and infected 11 others in southwestern China's Sichuan province, state press said.

The Sichuan provincial health department has put out an emergency notice warning of the illness that has infected at least 20 people, 10 of whom remain hospitalized, with six in a critical condition.

The victims of the unknown disease have all been farmers, aged between 30-70, who apparently did not have any contact with each other, a news report on the Sichuan provincial government's website said.

Doctors have no clue how the disease is transmitted, it said.

Sick people began appearing "one-by-one" in hospitals in Ziyang city from June 24 to July 21, showing symptoms of high fever, a loss of strength, vomiting, and shock, the report said.

The sick came from 15 villages in 12 different townships, it said, mainly in the Ziyang area and Yingjiang district.

After receiving a report from local health departments, the Ministry of Health in Beijing has sent a team to investigate the disease, it said.

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