23 dengue fever cases reported in Guangzhou

Twenty-three cases of potentially deadly dengue fever have been reported in Guangzhou, and most of the patients had been admitted in the past week, health officials said.

Guangdong Health Department spokesman Feng Shaomin said that it was not clear whether other cities had been affected by the disease.

All hospitals have to report dengue fever cases on a daily basis, as they did for the Sars outbreak, but Dr Feng said he was not sure if hospitals without cases also had to file reports.

Guangdong Infectious Diseases Hospital deputy director Yin Chibiao said there were five cases in his hospital alone.

'They were admitted in the past few days and they are all in stable condition,' he said. 'We have treated about 10 cases since the outbreak began.'

The first case of the mosquito-borne disease reported this year was admitted to hospital on May 26. Of the total cases so far, 15 patients are from the Tianhe district.