Deadly virus hits China

A highly infectious virus has killed over 20 children in China.

And authorities are struggling to stop it from spreading before Beijing's August Olympics.

EV71 is an intestinal virus which has become linked with the less serious children's illness of hand foot and mouth.

Beijing has so far escaped infection but parents remain concerned.

SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Mrs She, mother, saying:

"I'm afraid of cross infection. There are so many children in public places. If my child touches toys and places touched by other children, there are chances that he be infected. So I'm worried about that."

The government has closed kindergartens and pushed for hygiene awareness.

There is no cure for the virus.

The disease spreads mostly through contact with infected blisters.

It causes high fever, paralysis and swelling of the brain.

Tyra Dempster, Reuters, Beijing.

awareness - having knowledge of; "he had no awareness of his mistakes"; "his sudden consciousness of the problem he faced"; "their intelligence and general knowingness was impressive"
blister - a small bubble on the skin filled with a watery fluid
swelling - an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement