Encephalitis B outbreak kills 19 in northern China

BEIJING, Aug 12 (Reuters) The death toll from an outbreak of mosquito-borne encephalitis B in a city in northern China has risen to 19 from 17, the official Xinhua news agency reported today.

The agency quoted health authorities in Yuncheng in Shanxi Province as saying 38 others had been infected since July 13.

Health experts and local authorities were working on urgent measures to prevent the spread of the disease, which causes inflammation of the brain, Xinhua said.

REUTERS AB PM1604