Cambodia - Child Deaths Linked to Virus - NYTimes.com A deadly form of a common childhood illness has been linked to many of the mysterious child deaths that have occurred in Cambodia, health officials said Monday. Lab tests have confirmed that a virulent strain of hand, foot and mouth disease known as EV-71 is to blame for some of the 59 cases reviewed since April, including 52 deaths, according to a joint statement from the World Health Organization and the Cambodian Health Ministry. The numbers were lowered from the initial report of 62 cases. EV-71 is a virus that can result in paralysis, brain swelling and death. Most of the Cambodian cases involved children younger than 3.