Those who have died have developed fever-like symptoms, vomiting and internal bleeding. According to media reports the disease is apparently linked with pig farming.
The Hong Kong government has declared on Saturday that twenty people have been hospitalized from June 24 to July 21 in the city of Ziyang in southern Sichuan province.
Hong Kong government officials stated that among those two people, nine have died. 10 people are still hospitalized and six of them are in critical condition. One has been discharged.
World Health Organization spokesman Bob Dietz has said that the disease has infected those farmers who have who have slaughtered either pigs or sheep. However, according to Dietz, the disease is not spreading at the moment. A medical team from the Chinese government has already started investigation.
Hong Kong's Hospital Authority has instructed its hospitals to inform health authorities of any patients with similar symptoms.
