Thirteen students have been diagnosed with hepatitis A in a primary school in east China's Jiangxi Province, local health authorities said on Saturday.

The outbreak began in mid December in Baiyuan Primary School in Poyang County, but was under control, said Huang Songquan, director of the county health bureau.

Huang said the students had been sent to a hospital and their conditions were stable.

The health bureau disinfected the school and inoculated more than 300 students and teachers.

An initial investigation has excluded the drinking water sources and school canteen, but nearby snack outlets are being investigated as the possible cause of the outbreak, according to the bureau.

Further investigations into the cause of the outbreak are underway.

In a separate case, 107 people in Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were confirmed to have hepatitis A last week.

Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, is caused by infectious or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2006)