Five years after battling an epidemic of the deadly SARS virus, China's Health Ministry issued a nationwide alert on Saturday following the outbreak of another virus that has already killed 22 children in one city and is showing signs of spreading. The virus in question is a form of foot and mouth disease called Enterovirus 71, or EV-71. More than 3,300 cases were reported by Thursday night, the most recent numbers available. Apart from the 22 deaths among children in Fuyang in Anhui province, 978 people are currently hospitalised with it, according to the Health Ministry. The official Xinhua news agency also reported that preliminary tests showed an 18-month-old boy who died on Friday in the southern province of Guangdong was infected with EV-71. A second suspected death in the same province is under investigation. Guidelines Saturday's orders from the Health Ministry include instructions to local health authorities across the country to report all cases of the virus within 24 hours. Officials are also being dispatched to visit nurseries and primary schools to educate staff on hygiene and prevention steps. The disease began spreading in Anhui province in early March. However, news of the outbreak was released to the public only last weekend, triggering criticism in the Chinese media of local government negligence. In 2003, an initial cover-up of the SARS epidemic in Beijing had led to the sacking of Beijing's Mayor and the Health Minister. However, health officials say the government has learnt from SARS the necessity of transparency in reporting health issues. Rather than a cover-up, they say the reason for the delay in reporting the disease in this case was that medical teams were trying to work out what the illness was. There is no vaccine or antiviral agent available currently to treat or prevent EV71.