New Disease



Tick
(Beijing, China) A new tick-borne viral disease, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), has emerged in central and eastern China.

According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 280 cases have been identified and at least 10 people have died.

The CDC said that most of the victims suffered nausea, fatigue and a lack of appetite. The disease reduces white blood cell and platelet counts, which can lead to organ failure and death.

However, Pang Xinghuo, deputy head of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told China Daily on Sunday that residents in the capital do not need to worry.

"So far, the center has not received any reports of tick infections from hospitals in the city. The center has a mechanism to closely monitor cases such as this," she said.

Pang suggested that, to be on the safe side, it would be better to wear long-sleeved clothes when lying or walking in the grass and to take showers after returning home.

Offhand I'd suggest that China is a world leader with respect to new deadly diseases. I easily recall medical alerts for the bird flu, SARS and the Hong Kong flu coming from China. Note, however, that I'm not a medical statistician and my suggestion could be uninformed.