Liu Minxia

    mllmx@msn.com

    SHENZHEN’S health commission published the city’s first infectious diarrhea index yesterday and will update the index every month to help residents reduce the chances of being infected by the disease.

    Infectious diarrhea, also known as gastroenteritis, is among the infectious diseases that affect the largest number of Shenzhen residents and especially those under 5 years old, the commission said. Signs and symptoms include some combination of diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of energy and dehydration may also occur. Infectious diarrhea is listed as a Category C infectious disease in China, the third most serious category.

    The city began to monitor infectious diarrhea in July 2007. By last year, the city had built a monitoring network for infectious diarrhea composed of 16 hospitals in the city’s 10 districts and new areas that are under surveillance. Years of observation and data collecting went into compiling the index. Shenzhen’s infectious diarrhea index will have four levels ranging from I to IV, with level I being the most severe. The index will be released on the second Wednesday of every month, and more frequently if there is an outbreak.

    The infectious diarrhea index for this month remains at level IV, which means the risk to be infected is very low.