Mysterious Illness Kills 19 in China

July 27, 2005 — Harry Snelson
  [ES]

According to a number of published reports, 19 farmers in western China have died since June after handling pig carcasses. As of Sunday, the illness had affected approximately 80 people in the Chinese province of Sichuan causing high fevers, vomiting, and nausea progressing to coma and subcutaneous hemorrhages. Seventeen people remain hospitalized in critical condition. The cases were scattered among 75 villages in four districts of Ziyang and Neijiang cities. Health officials in Sichuan have indicated that the cause of the disease is not SARS or influenza but most likely Streptococcus suis. It has been reported that all of the farmers infected had slaughtered infected pigs. The two main supermarket chains in Hong Kong have suspended selling pork products from Sichuan.

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4713499.stm http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-07/26/content_3267121.htm