Eighteen children have died in a hand-foot-mouth disease outbreak in central China's Henan Province as of Monday with another 195 in severe conditions, health authorities said Tuesday.

The dead were among the 19,922 cases reported in Henan, where 5,965 children have been hospitalized, said Zhou Yong, a spokesman for Henan Provincial Health Administration.

Zhu said a total of 4,244 children had been discharged from hospitals after treatment.

Among the 18 deaths, eight were reported in Minquan County, the worst-hit region in Henan.

Song Xuantao, vice governor of Henan, warned that more cases may be reported with the rising temperature.

Hand-foot-mouth disease is a common childhood illness that mainly affects children under the age of 10. Symptoms include fever, sores in the mouth and a rash with blisters. It can sometimes be fatal if complications occur.

In the neighboring Shandong Province, one more death was reported in Heze City where the contagious disease has claimed 13 lives so far this year.

Heze have reported 4,783 cases as of Monday, when 228 new ones were reported in just one day.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2009)