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Shi Jiangtao

At least two people have died of a tick-related disease and more than 200 people have contracted the infectious illness in Henan province , local authorities admitted yesterday. 
It was the first time the Xinyang  city government had commented publicly on cases of fatal tick bites since an epidemic of the disease was reported in 2007. 
According to an investigative report published by the Beijing News yesterday, five people in Xinyang's Shangcheng county have been killed by the mysterious tick-borne disease this year, with at least two other fatalities last year. 
Rumours about the fatal bug bites have caused panic in Xinyang and neighbouring areas, with angry local residents accusing the authorities of keeping the public in the dark about the spread of the disease and its danger for months, the report said.
China National Radio also reported that three people died of similar tick-borne disease in Penglai , Shandong , this year. 
Quoting unnamed health officials in Xinyang, the newspaper said the decision to impose a news blackout on the disease was made by the city's mayor in April  owing to 'fears over panic and instability'. 
Local media reporters were quoted by state radio saying Henan was also hit by an outbreak of the disease last year, but authorities managed to cover it up. 
Xu Bianli , deputy head of the Henan Provincial Centre for Disease Control, told Xinhua yesterday that the two deaths were among 245 reported cases of suspected human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) since May 2007.  
The official confirmed the Beijing News report that the national CDC was informed of the epidemic in May and had started investigating  in 85 towns and five counties in Xinyang. 
HGA reduces white blood cell and platelet counts in the blood, leading to organ failure and death.



Tick-borne disease spreads in Henan