China recorded 799 cases of encephalitis B in July 2008, more than four times the figure in June, according to the Ministry of Health.

The disease killed 33 people in July, while only five died in the previous month out of 183 registered cases, according to the monthly report released on the ministry's website.

The increase is due to the arrival of the disease's peak season.Encephalitis B usually starts to appear in south China around June, gradually moving north over the following month. July, August and September are regarded as the peak season.

Encephalitis B causes inflammation of the brain and can be contracted by people of all ages. It is usually the result of a viral infection transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. The illness begins with flu-like symptoms and severe headaches.

Infectious diseases in China are classified into three categories under the law on the prevention of communicable diseases.

Compulsory reporting applies to 27 of these diseases, including cholera, viral hepatitis, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), AIDS and encephalitis B.

In July, more than 390,000 cases of the 27 disease were reported, including 1,009 deaths, according to the Ministry.

AIDS remained the biggest killer in July, accounting for a third of the deaths.

AIDS killed 372 people out of more than 1,100 registered cases, and the figure was 396 out of more than 1,070 cases in June.

No major epidemic outbreak had been reported in July in the zone hit by the May 12 magnitude-8 earthquake in southwest Sichuan Province, the report added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2008)