The recent outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) will not affect the Beijing Olympic Games, health ministry spokesman Mao Qun'an said in Beijing Wednesday.

China is confident that it can control the spread of the disease with effective prevention methods, Mao said at a press conference jointly held by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization.

He said other provinces and regions had not reported a rise in HFMD cases, except for Fuyang city in the eastern province of Anhui, which reported the initial outbreak and the most fatal cases of the disease.

He also noted that China would likely experience another outbreak of HFMD in June and July, according to expert analysis of the disease.

(Xinhua News Agency May 7, 2008)