China's ministry of health confirmed yesterday that a mysterious illness that has killed at least 19 people is a bacteria spread among pigs, as pork exports from the area were suspended.
The disease has proven so deadly that more than one-quarter of the 67 confirmed cases in Sichuan Province were fatal.
"Experts have initially diagnosed that the disease is caused by streptococcus suis bacteria infection," a statement on the ministry's Web site said.
"The direct cause of human infection of the streptococcus suis bacteria is the slaughtering or processing of infected pigs," it said. "No human-to-human infection has been found."
Sixty-seven confirmed cases and 13 suspected cases of the disease had been reported as of noon on Sunday, including 19 fatalities, the statement added.
An emergency investigation by a group of experts organized by the ministries of health and agriculture found that the farmers infected had all slaughtered pigs found to have the disease, the China Daily reported.
Seventeen people remain in a critical condition, while four have recovered. Symptoms of the disease included high fever, nausea, vomiting and hemorrhaging. About half of all patients go into severe shock.
Chinese reports said the cases were scattered among 75 villages in Ziyang and Neijiang cities.
The disease is rare, with the first recorded case found in Denmark in 1968. More than 200 cases of human infection have been reported globally since then.
To prevent the disease from spreading, pork exports from the affected cities have been halted, Hong Kong's Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said.
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