A DEADLY virus that has killed 20 children in Anhui Province has spread to Henan Province, the Fuyang Municipal Government in Anhui has warned.

The outbreak of Enterovirus 71 has spread from Fuyang City in Anhui to neighboring counties, including some areas in Henan, the Fuyang government told a news conference late Monday, the People's Daily reported on its Web site yesterday.

The deadly outbreak in Fuyang has resulted in the deaths of 20 children and 1,500 others infected, the provincial health department said yesterday.

Of the sick, 585 had recovered while 412 children remain in hospital for further observation. Of the total, 26 are seriously ill.

The deadly virus has forced kindergartens in Fuyang to close early for the May Day holiday. The education authority in Fuyang said the holiday for the kindergartens started Monday and would continue until Sunday. The holiday started three days ahead of schedule.

"Plenty of medical workers from other areas have been mobilized to Fuyang,"the health official said. "They are joined by many experts sent by the Ministry of Health in an all-out effort to treat and save the lives of the sick children."

Anhui Province has installed a province-wide daily reporting system to monitor the spread of infection.(SD-Xinhua)