Rabies biggest infectious disease killer in China

According to the Chinese Ministry of Health, more than 4.7 million cases of infectious diseases were reported last year.

Nearly four in every 1,000 people were diagnosed with such a disease, which resulted in the deaths of 13,037 people, reports China Daily.

Of the 37 diseases reported, rabies was the main killer, while scarlet fever and measles were found to be the most increased form of respiratory tract infection to be reported.

Gao Qi, a project manager with the China HIV/Aids Information Network, told the paper: "But that doesn't mean the HIV/Aids situation is getting worse.

"The increase might be due to more screening tests."

The Health Protection Agency recently admitted that it was "not impossible" that Britain could face an outbreak of malaria and tick-born viruses over the next few years, if tropical temperatures and rain continue.

A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency told the Telegraph, said: "Malaria has been seen in these islands in the past, and it is not impossible that it will return regularly if the UK experiences more tropical temperatures and rain on the scale experienced last summer."

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