Amid reports that the virus had spread from Fuyang to adjacent Henan province, the Henan public health bureau said on Tuesday that 16 cases of the EV71 infections in the province were detected and treated successfully.

"So far, there is no evidence to show that the cases in Henan are infections from Fuyang," Yang said.

The health ministry has also denied claims that local authorities delayed reporting cases of the outbreak.

Medical teams were trying to work out what was afflicting the patients and it took time to collect evidence to confirm the disease, the ministry officials said.

Health authorities in Shanghai, which is near Anhui, said there are no reports of infections in the city.

(China Daily May 1, 2008)