From AFP, via OptusNet:
As of noon on Tuesday, Sichuan reported 117 people had been stricken with the disease, of which 76 cases have been confirmed.
Only five patients have recovered and left hospital so far.
The disease, caused by the streptococcus suis bacteria, which is spread among pigs, has proved so deadly that about a third of the 76 confirmed cases have died.
The people infected include farmers, all of whom have slaughtered pigs found to have the disease.
