Illnesses

The name may conjure images of Medieval plagues or equestrian illnesses, but annual outbreaks of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease have become very much a routine reality in Beijing.

Not to be confused with "Foot (or Hoof) and Mouth Disease" (which afflicts livestock), this viral born ailment is common in small children and infants and causes "fever and blister-like eruptions in the mouth and/or a skin rash." Late spring/early summer outbreaks are a common occurrence in the capital, and though it is generally not considered a very serious illness, a few deaths have been reported in Beijing in the past few years, including a one-year-old baby in April of this year.

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