A nationwide alert has been issued in a bid to control a virus that has caused 22 deaths in one city and shows signs of spreading to other parts of the country.

The Ministry of Health warned on Saturday that cases of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) will possibly increase in the following months since June and July are the peak seasons for the disease.

Following the 22 children's deaths reportedly caused by enterovirus 71, or EV71, in Fuyang of Anhui province, two other deaths from the same virus have been confirmed in Guangdong province, Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.