Virus death toll climbs to 29

Virus death toll climbs to 29

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A deadly airborne virus in Malaysia's eastern Sarawak state on Borneo island claimed another two victims yesterday, taking the death toll to 29, a senior state official said.

The latest victims were a six-year-old girl, who was admitted to hospital on June 10 in critical condition, and a two-year-old boy, who was hospitalized Monday, said Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister George Chan Hong Nam.

The girl was the eldest victim since the mystery virus struck the state in April, as past deaths involved children aged below five years, Chan was reported as saying in Sarawak by the Bernama news agency.

The number of suspected cases had declined with 44 children still under the observation wards in Sarawak hospitals, Chan added.

Nationwide, some 1,358 children had been warded for symptoms of the virus, suspected to be the Coxsackie virus B, or hand, foot and mouth disease, but 1, 079 had been discharged, officials have said.