No epidemic outbreak or medical emergencies were reported in China's quake-battered zone as of Tuesday noon, according to a Ministry of Health (MOH) official here.

The quake-affected regions saw an increase in symptoms such as diarrhea and fever, but no major epidemic or medical emergencies were found, Qi Xiaoqiu, director of the Department of Disease Control under the MOH, said at an Information Office of the State Council press conference.

There were reports of such diseases as tuberculosis and hepatitis B in the quake-devastated zone, but these were common illnesses in the area during summer, he said.

Currently, about 10,000 epidemic prevention professionals, including 4,939 personnel from 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country, into the quake-affected areas. They are helping monitor local hygiene conditions in case of medical emergency or epidemic outbreak, said MOH spokesman Sun Jiahai.

"We have epidemic prevention professionals for every village, every township and county," Qi said, adding they would contact health authorities via the Web or mobile phone within 24 hours if any suspicious symptoms are found.

Sun said no timetable was set for the disease prevention work in the area; work would "carry on" as long as medicare required. The MOH would send more disease prevention and internal medicine experts to replace the surgeons.

He stressed the importance of corpse sterilization and emergency inoculation on those vulnerable to infectious disease in the quake zone.Emergency inoculation on those people would be completed by June 15.

Incomplete statistics show that almost 140,000 medical staff nationwide have participated in the quake-relief work, among whom 91,298 were in southwest Sichuan Province, the area hit hardest on May 12 by the magnitude 8.0 earthquake, Sun added.

China mobilized tens of thousands army personnel and doctors to help with the relief work after the devastating earthquake rocked Sichuan's Wenchuan County.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2008)