The State Council Information Office is holding a press conference
Sunday afternoon on the latest development of severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the Chinese mainland.
The executive vice minister of the Ministry of Health Gao Qiang and
vice minister Zhu Qingsheng attend the press conference to
introduce the latest SARS cases, as well as the measures the
Chinese government has taken to prevent the spread of the
disease.
According to Gao, of the 1,807 confirmed SARS cases in the
mainland, 1,304 cases are found in Guangdong.
There are 339 cases found in Beijing, 108 in Shanxi, 25 in Inner
Mongolia, 12 in Guangxi, six in Hunan, five in Sichuan, three in
Fujian, two in Shanghai, two in Henan and one in Ningxia.
Beijing reports a total of 339 confirmed cases, including 24
medical workers, eight students, and 28 people from outside
Beijing. Among its 402 suspected cases, 41 were medical workers, 42
were students and 21 were people from outside Beijing. Of the total
cases of Beijing, 18 patients died, and 33 patients have recovered
and been discharged from hospital.
Five foreigners in the city were diagnosed to have SARS and another
four were suspected of the disease.
China will make public information about SARS cases on a daily
basis starting April 21, Gao Qiang said. Before this, the
information was released every five days.
Gao said that the State Council decision is aimed to raise the
awareness of governments at all levels and the general public on
SARS prevention and control.
According to Gao, the epidemic reporting system must be carried out
more strictly and violators would face severe punishment.
Gao said that those officials in charge who are incompetent to have
correct information about epidemics or intentionally cover up the
situation of epidemics would be punished severely.
As
a discipline, all medical institutions must strengthen monitoring
of epidemics, timely check the cases, and report the situation to
superior departments. No delay, cover-up or missing of the cases is
allowed, he added.
China's State Council has decided to cancel the week-long May Day
holidays to prevent the possible spread, Gao said, adding that
although the move may cause great losses to the country's tourism
industry the Chinese government is determined to place its people's
health first.
Gao Qiang told the press conference that China has actively and
effectively cooperated with the World Health Organization (WHO) in
controlling SARS.
China has paid high attention to some working suggestions raised by
the WHO, which played an important role for improving SARS control,
Gao added.
(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2003)