BEIJING - World Health Organization (WHO) representative in China Hans Troedsson has expressed appreciation for China's quick response to the outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) and pledged the world body's willingness to support China in its efforts to combat the illness.

During a Monday meeting with Health Minister Chen Zhu, Troedsson said the WHO office in China would continue to actively work with China in coping with the outbreak, provide technical support and share with other countries and regions the experience gained here, the health ministry said on its website on Tuesday.

As of Monday, the number of HFMD cases reported nationwide this year had risen to 11,905 with 26 fatalities, according to a Xinhua count of local official figures.

The worst-hit area, Anhui Province in east China, updated the number of childhood infections to 5,840, including 689 new cases that were recorded on Sunday, according to the provincial health administration.

In Anhui's Fuyang City alone, 22 children have been killed by the epidemic since March 20 out of 4,496 children infected, and 1,314 are still hospitalized.

During the meeting, the minister briefed Troedsson on the epidemic's development in Fuyang and China's measures against the disease.

China had classified HFMD as a C class epidemic that must be reported to the ministry, he said. Previously, local health authorities were not required to report HFMD cases.

The ministry had also upgraded the emergency response scheme of the Anhui public health incident from grade III to grade II, he said.

Meanwhile, expert teams have been sent to Fuyang to help with diagnosis and treatment. Kindergartens in the county were closed to prevent a further spread of the disease and a public awareness campaign was launched.

Chen said patients were being treated and prevention and control measures were being implemented in an orderly, effective manner.

He said that he was heading up a health ministry leading group to combat the disease, which would soon hold a national tele-conference to urge stepped-up nationwide monitoring, reporting, prevention and treatment of the disease.

Meanwhile, release of information about the course of the epidemic would be stepped up to avoid public panic, he said.

The epidemic was first reported on March 20 in Fuyang. Since then, outbreaks have been reported elsewhere in China. So far, all the victims have been children, mostly below 6 years old.