Secondly, after the SARS epidemic in 2003, the Chinese public's vigilance against contagious diseases was greatly enhanced. Along with the recent nationwide alert in a bid to control the HFMD, more people go to seek medical advice, which led to an increase in the registered cases over previous years.

Zhong noted that the HFMD is a preventable and controllable common illness and the public do not need to panic at it after taking appropriate prevention measures.

On Friday, an official from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an interview with Xinhua that the United States once had several HFMD outbreaks and there is no need for panic over the disease if proper prevention measures and treatments are taken.

Most of HFMD cases in the US were caused by coxsackie virus A16 and symptomatic treatment is usually given to provide relief from fever, aches and pain from the mouth ulcers, said Dave Dagul, a CDC press officer for global health affairs.

The risk of enterovirus infections can be lowered by good hygienic practices such as frequent handwashing and avoidance of close contact with HFMD patients, he said.

Talking about China's HFMD situation, Hans Troedsson, the World Health Organization's representative to China, said recently that although it was too early to say whether the worst had passed with the disease's peak months looming, the latest figures suggested new infections were slowing.

"I don't think there will be a non-controlled epidemic," said the WHO official.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2008)