Chinese meteorologists and health experts have warned people of possible heatstroke on Thursday as many parts of the country are to see mercury level above 35 degrees Celsius, the first such forecast this year.

The warning by the Central Meteorological Station and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said people in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hubei provinces might be vulnerable to heatstroke on Thursday, suggesting they avoid exposure to sunlight in the afternoon and take preventive measures.

The forecast said temperature in many parts of the country's southern regions and Xinjiang in the northwest will exceed 35 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with the highest at 40 degrees in some areas.

An emergency scheme to deal with possible heatstroke was issued by the Health Ministry and the China Meteorological Bureau recently, asking local health departments to monitor and report heatstroke cases as outbreaking public health incidents.

Local health authorities and disease control and prevention departments are obliged to release heatwave forecast and heatstroke alert to the public, according to the plan.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2007)