I'm sorry, but the delay in reporting the situation does nothing to bolster my confidence in Xinhua or CCTV's coverage of outbreaks and epidemics.

China is well on her way to stop this virus. They first stop sending information to Taiwan about the situation in China will ensure that Taiwan is not well prepared for it. The next is probably the releasing of Chinese tourists all over Taiwan to ensure a good distribution of the virus in Taiwan.

Of course, WHO is not allowed, by China, to send any health information to Taiwan by disallowing Taiwan membership in WHO, promising to pass along all health information to Taiwan.

This is a great start to ensure the virus is wiped out, except in Taiwan.

Remeber the way so many people swallowed that rumour about SARS being a CIA bio-weapons attack on China? Well get ready for that x10!

also; "not that deadly"?

I hear what you're saying but this time it was the local authorities in Anhui that fumbled, not xinhua or cctv.

and Jeremy, EV71 infections arent curable and can cause meningitis.

"hand, foot and mouth disease" sounds like very serious disease, imagine you can't walk, can't type and can't speak at the same time, Gee :)

Yeah, that's what they want you to believe. With Falun Dafa you don't have to worry about that stuff at all. Believe dat playboy.

All this ties back to the whole illuminati conspiracy that I've been telling you people about... It's just like SARS man... All faked up by the Western media, especially CNN (a CIA proxy, similar to Danwei, but infinitely worst (but not worser than NPR)), those fucking goons, always keeping the Chinese people down.

@Jung,

You can google this

台湾今年已有60例手足口病重症，两人死亡；疫情疑飘洋过海，内地也传出手足口病严重疫情。台湾专家从流行病学趋势推测，内地之前没有大规模疫情的出现，病毒极可能来自台湾。但此尚待进一步检测证实。

有关媒体报道，台湾及东南亚地区手足口病疫情高峰期在5至7月，因此这波手足口病疫情还没结束。台大医院小儿感染科主任黄立民表示，内地已多年没有爆发手足口病大流行，且这波疫情以EV71型为主，他怀疑病毒是从台湾传过去。

黄立民推测，大陆民众生活形态与人口聚集模式都与台湾类似，是手足口病蔓延的有利条件。他进一步指出，摄氏25至40度温度非常适合手足口病生存，他怀疑新加坡今年爆发的手足口病疫情也来自台湾。

Finger pointing is pointless.

@Finger pointing - So an article which essentially makes the source of the disease out to be Taiwan is a warning to all of us not to point fingers? Or could it be that diseases don't care who they infect?

Jung was having a joke at the mainland government's expense - lighten up why don't you?

@FOARP

"China is well on her way to stop this virus. They first stop sending information to Taiwan about the situation in China will ensure that Taiwan is not well prepared for it. The next is probably the releasing of Chinese tourists all over Taiwan to ensure a good distribution of the virus in Taiwan."

Jung's post gives an expression, that China mainland is responsible for future (if there is) EV71 outbreak in Taiwan.

And I don't think it is a joke. The "releasing" and "ensure" wording is rather rude.

EV71 is killing children. Real ones. Right here in the country we are in right now. Perhaps I am the only person to comment so far who has a child under 5 in school here, or who works with children in this age group but for *&#$'s sake, it may not kill everyone, but its killing enough of them. Sure politics and cover ups played a role (ask those parents in Anhui) but I really don;t think the media is overstating this.

28 dead and counting in at least 3 provinces.

2 schools closed in Beijing as of May 6th as reported by state media sources tonight, although the rumour flew around all day at schools both local and international.

I am by no means calling for panic or overstating what is happening, but in this case you got it wrong. Chicken Little is apparently covering other stories for Xinhua this week.