Guangxi health officials have admitted the number of children killed in an illegal fireworks factory explosion last month was more than first announced, but they would not reveal how many have died, fearing the public' reaction.
A senior staff member at the Hezhou Health Bureau told the South China Morning Post that more dead children had been reported in addition to the two children found at the scene on November 12.
Twelve people - 11 children and one adult - were admitted to hospital in Guilin and Nanning after the explosion, and nine were reported to be in a serious condition. No further public statement has been made since the one immediately after the explosion.
'We should focus more on positive propaganda because the increasing death toll would make the public dissatisfied,' said the official, who gave only his surname, Luo.
The children were aged seven to 14 and recruited by the unlicensed factory to insert fuses in firecrackers for wages of 30 fen (HK$0.34) an hour. Children said they worked there to earn money for snacks and school supplies.
Three owners of the factory were arrested or turned themselves in after the accident, state media said.
The accident became a major national talking point, not just due to the work safety issues but also the plight of children in rural areas. Many are left with elderly relatives while their parents go to work in big cities.