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Download At least 240 people, mainly children younger than 5, died from hand, foot and mouth disease from January to May, as China enters a peak season for the epidemic, the Ministry of Health said. The peak will last until October, but the infection commonly seen among toddlers can be easily prevented and treated with early detection and intervention, said Xiao Donglou, a division director of the ministry's disease prevention and control bureau. According to official statistics, the infection claimed more than 240 lives on the mainland in the first five months of the year. The epidemic appeared to hit harder this year in terms of scale and severity, Xiao said. From January to June last year, 132 deaths were reported. An official tally showed China reported nearly 1.62 million cases in 2011, including 509 deaths. "The infection is expected to maintain a relatively high prevalence this year and children attending nurseries, kindergartens and elementary schools are most vulnerable to the disease," he said. In response, the ministry has devised clinical guidelines to help with a timely diagnosis and proper treatment of the disease, particularly at grassroots-level health institutions. The ministry has distributed information and training materials, mainly at kindergartens, to help better track the infection and get timely medical intervention. Kindergartens and elementary schools are required to increase monitoring and preventive measures with morning checks and routine disinfecting. | 
