BEIJING - A total of 17,315 people died of infectious diseases on the Chinese mainland throughout 2012, with AIDS killing the most, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said in a Wednesday statement.

A total of 6.95 million infectious disease cases were reported on the Chinese mainland in 2012, the statement said.

Among the cases, 3.21 million cases were categorized as Class A or Class B infectious diseases. These cases resulted in 16,721 deaths.

Among the Class A and B infectious diseases, AIDS, tuberculosis, rabies, hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever were the most deadly diseases, contributing to over 98 percent of deaths within the category. Hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, dysentery and gonorrhea were the most prevalent within the category.

Class C infectious diseases claimed 594 lives in 2012, with foot-and-mouth disease reported as the most prevalent and deadly class C infectious disease, according to the statement.