A third child has died of an intestinal virus in south China's Guangdong Province, local authorities said on Sunday.

The 2-year-old boy died on Saturday of hand, foot and mouth disease, triggered by the enterovirus 71 (EV71), in Maoming City after medical treatment failed, according to the provincial health department.

He fell ill on Wednesday with symptoms of lung and brain edema and heart failure. Test results for the virus were positive, according to a sample examination by the city's People's Hospital, where he was treated.

Two other boys, who also tested positive for EV71, died in the Gaoming District of Foshan City in late April.

The province had registered 925 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease as of Sunday. The health department has sent a specialist team to direct the response to the disease.

The provincial government has urged local authorities to strictly follow the orders of the Health Ministry, strengthen medical emergency treatment and step up the training of medical staff.

EV71 can cause hand, foot and mouth disease, which usually starts with a slight fever followed by blisters and ulcers in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet.

There has been a large outbreak of EV71 in Anhui Province, where the death toll in Fuyang city has risen to 22 since early March.

China has tallied 4,987 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in Anhui, Hubei and Shaanxi provinces this year.

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2008)