Nine patients with unidentified disease recovering in SW China

KUNMING, March 4 (Chinese media) -- All nine people who contracted an unidentified

disease first reported on Feb. 18 are generally recovering and are out of danger

after medical treatment in Lanping County, southwest China's Yunnan Province,

local health authorities said Wednesday.

Ten workers from a construction site near Biyuhe Village in Lanping County,

developed symptoms of numbness of limbs, dizziness, fever, diarrhea and

vomiting.

One worker named Cai Wensheng, who was the first to develop symptoms, died

on Feb. 26 despite treatment, and another three had been critically ill in

hospital.

Doctors from provincial health departments and hospitals formed an

emergency treatment group and went to Lanping to help.

"No evidence was found to substantiate an epidemic through blood and urine

tests," the emergency group reported. Drinking water was also tested, but no

conclusive identification of the disease was made.

Doctors also examined the 11 other people at the work site, but found no

further signs of the illness, local health authorities said.