Ten primary school students have been stricken with Hepatitis A in northwest China's Qinghai Province, said local government sources on Friday.

The students are from Xinzhuanger Primary School in Ping'an County, said county head Zhao Xiong.

Zhao said nine of the 10 patients aged 8 to 13 have been sent to hospital for medical treatment. The other, who is suspected being source of the infection, was taken home by parents who refused medical treatment.

Zhao added the school had earlier asked the parents to send their child to hospital, but they refused to do so but later brought back a fake medical certificate showing their child was recovering.

The local health bureau is closely monitoring 29 more students from the same class. It has also started to disinfect the school and inoculate all other students and residents in Xinzhuanger village.

Further investigation into the cause of the infection is under way.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2006)