BEIJING (AP) - A viral outbreak in China has sickened more than 6,300 people and killed another child, raising the death toll to 26 children, authorities said Monday.

The latest fatality from enterovirus 71 was in coastal Zhejiang province, the provincial Health Ministry said. It said 1,198 other children have been stricken in the province with the virus, also known as EV-71.

It appealed for any sick children "to be sent immediately to health clinics" and for the cases to be reported "immediately to health and education departments."

An additional 5,151 cases have been reported in neighboring Anhui province, where 22 children have died, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Most of the cases were near Fuyang, a fast-growing city in the central province's rural heartland.

Xinhua also reported three deaths in the southern province of Guangdong.

Enterovirus 71 causes a severe form of hand, foot and mouth disease with symptoms including fever, mouth sores and rashes with blisters. It is easily spread by sneezing or coughing. The virus mainly strikes children aged 10 or younger. Some cases lead to paralysis and fatal swelling of the brain.