| LONDON
(Reuters) - The number of ``definite and probable'' cases
of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD), the human form
of mad cow disease (BSE), has risen to 79, Britain's Department
of Health said Monday.
The
official figures show the number of cases of the disease
has risen by two since the last set of figures were released
in July. The numbers include six probable, but unconfirmed
deaths from the disease.
Government
scientists warned on August 1 there was a theoretical
risk that vCJD could be transmitted from person to person
via dental instruments.
An
urgent inquiry has also been launched after a cluster
of deaths from the brain-wasting disease was found around
the village of Queniborough in Leicestershire, central
England.
The
Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committe (SEAC) said
last month that cases of the disease were increasing by
between 20 and 30 percent a year.
Writing
in the medical journal, The Lancet, Dr Robert Will, head
of the government's CJD surveillance unit, said: ``The
absolute number of cases in the UK is still low, but such
an increase should be a matter of concern.''
SEAC
said the team investigating the Leicestershire deaths
was likely to report within the next few months and could
cast new light on the transmission of the disease.
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