2012, the John Cusack-starring film in which the world comes to an end in the most CGI-tastic way possible, seems to have planted the notion of apocalypse in the minds of quite a few of my self-professed atheistic Chinese friends. Released against a backdrop of Weiboexploding with news and rumors alike, logic seems to fly in the face of all of the food scandals, outrageous graft revelations and strange disease outbreaks cropping up across China. To the cool-headed few, microblog exposés and growing dissension serve to force greater transparency in official reporting, hence the higher incidence of strange occurrences becoming known. But to the rest of us, a little paranoia is in order, as dangers lurk in the food we eat and diseases in those we greet. In keeping with our apocalyptic theme, the following article takes a closer look at some of the freaky diseases (worthy of a Fringe episode) mushrooming across China, as well as several not-so-strange diseases that just refuse to go away or have just taken a strange twist. Are these pestilences a sign of the times? Will the apocalypse begin in China? Consider yourself forewarned.

1) Cutaneous Anthrax
This one undoubtedly brings back not-too-fond memories of the Anthrax attacks of 2001. While it is the same bacteria at work, infection in Liaoning Province did not originate from opening envelopes containing a mysterious white powder. Cutaneous anthrax is medical-ese for "skin anthrax", where broken skin comes into contact with anthrax spores. In Liaozhong County, seven cases were confirmed mid-2012. The infected villagers were believed to have participated in slaughtering an infected cow. Other cases were discovered in Haicheng City and Xiuyan County. And all of this comes on the heels of two previous confirmed cases in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, where seven villagers experienced similar skin irritations after butchering a cow. In each case, the infected households were sanitized, whole villages were quarantined and a ban was placed on meat products from the affected areas. Looking on the bright side, other forms of anthrax are more dangerous than the cutaneous form, such as inhalation anthrax and gastrointestinal anthrax (consumption of tainted meat, possibly resulting in internal bleeding, shock and tissue death). That being said, cutaneous anthrax is still anthrax.

2) SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
While 2003 may seem like a long time ago for many of us, for anyone from Hong Kong, it still seems like it was only yesterday that SARS broke out and established itself as the plague of our time, having a Case Fatality Rate of around 10%. Of the infected 8,098 worldwide, 774 died, according to WHO figures. Untreatable with antibiotics, this infection of the lungs starts out with flu-like symptoms, but breathing difficulties and even death could result. For months, countries with a sizable Chinese Diaspora peered out cautiously from behind surgical masks. Even today, airport temperature scanners are a silent reminder of those times. The last known infection may have been in June 2003 but variations of this virus live on in animals without any symptoms, silently waiting in the shadows to jump across species again.

3) Adenovirus Type 55 (Ad55)
Understandably, massive flu-like outbreaks are likely to continue sparking fears of another SARS outbreak, as happened in February 2012 at an army camp in Baoding, Hebei Province. Thankfully, China's Center for Disease Control (CDC) later confirmed that it was actually an Adenovirus Type 55 infection. The Ad55 virus is a flu-like infection that first surfaced in Shaanxi Province, six years ago. While its symptoms are not panic-worthy—fever and sore throat—it did infect 254 high school students at that time, only one of whom died. Adenoviruses commonly cause moderate to severe respiratory tract infections. While Ad55 is highly treatable and preventable through paying attention to personal hygiene, in the recent case of the Baoding army camp outbreak, as many as 300 soldiers, mostly new recruits, managed to get infected, according to rumors swirling on the Internet. With memories of the SARS and H1N1 pandemics still fresh, citizens feared the next SARS outbreak. The online rumor mill churned with allegations that hundreds were housed in isolation wards and at least one person died. On the bright side, the timely way the PLA and CDC came forward to admit to and contain the Ad55 infection (or rather, rumors) is certainly a refreshing change.

4) Enterovirus Type 71 (EV71)
Hand-foot-and-mouth Disease (HFMD) may be uncomfortable, but it's unlikely to be featured in your next House episode…unless it's brought on by Enteroviruses like the virulent EV71. Then meningitis, encephalitis and—on occasion—death can result from severe neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory complications. High summer temperatures helped HFMD's spread on the mainland reach epidemic proportions: at least 1.5 million infections and 431 deaths as of July 2012. In Hunan Province, as many as 35,000 were sickened and 17 died in the month of June, following 19 child deaths in April. Elsewhere in China, EV-71-induced HFMD also hit harder this year in intensity and scale, including areas like Guangxi's Zhuang Autonomous Region. Typically benign and self-limiting, HFMD is characterized by fever, painful sores in the mouth, rash with blisters on hands, feet and buttocks. While no vaccine and treatment currently exists, monitoring in preschools has been implemented, as very young children are most susceptible—yet another reminder to wash hands regularly and stop pinching the cheeks of cute toddlers.

5) Polio
Polio is a contagious disease that acts on the nervous system, often resulting in permanent paralysis. Certainly not a new virus, but considering China's 12-year polio-free status, the 2011 infection was big news. The strain found in Hotan, Kashgar, Bayingolin, and Aksu prefectures in Xinjiang Province was eventually traced back to bordering Pakistan. Xingjiang also borders on Afghanistan and India, another two of the four polio-endemic countries in the world. China's CDC responded by dispatching public health experts to the affected area and at least 4.5 million children and young adults were vaccinated. At that time, Helen Yu, of Beijing's WHO office commented, "The polio virus can travel great distances and find susceptible populations, no matter where they live." Moreover, the WHO estimates for every detected case, 199 other "silent carriers" of the virus exist. At least 20 cases were detected, two of which resulted in death. Do the math and admit to another disadvantage of living in a borderless world.

Bonus: flesh-eating zombies?!
Flesh-eating Zombies nicely wrap up this apocalyptic-themed article as zombie apocalypse spreads to China. In Wenzhou city's Ouhai district, apparently, it happened like this: a bus stopped on the road, blocking traffic. Its driver then got off and mounted the hood of a female motorist's vehicle. As he attempted to break her windscreen, she panicked and got out of the car to run away. But she had no chance of escape as he knocked her to the ground and started to chew her face off. Police later disclosed that the man was heavily intoxicated (while driving a bus). Case closed. Or is it?

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Keywords: China strange diseases China zombie apocalypse China disease outbreaks China CDC