An epidemic warning has been issued for southeast China's Jiangxi
Province. This alert was the first to be put out jointly by the
Provincial Meteorological Observatory and the Center for the
Prevention and Control of Diseases, aiming at the prevention of the
infectious diseases which are prone to break out in hot weather.
Heavy rains struck central and southern Jiangxi in mid June causing
localized flooding. As temperatures rise, some diseases such as
leptospirosis, encephalitis B and malaria become easily spread.
Medical experts studied 17,000 cases of influenza, bronchial
asthma, respiratory diseases, coronary heart disease and cerebral
vascular disease in the province over the past four years. They
found them to be closely related to weather conditions and
classified them as "meteorological diseases."
In
a bid to tackle this problem, the Provincial Meteorological
Observatory and the Center for the Prevention and Control of
Diseases have worked together to analyze the data and construct
early-warning models for respiratory infections, leptospirosis,
meningococcal meningitis, influenza, measles, encephalitis B,
malaria and other meteorological diseases. The models can predict
risk of epidemic under various weather conditions.
The two organizations will set up a comprehensive system of medical
weather forecasting. This will involve bulletins being issued every
20 days with early warning alerts for meteorological diseases. Ad
hoc reports will also be issued to deal with developing
situations.
The bulletins and ad hoc reports will include information on the
symptoms of the meteorological diseases and the prevention
measures. Additional information will also be provided to help in
the event of meteorological disasters.
(China.org.cn by Feng Yikun, August 1, 2002)