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China well prepared for cluster flu outbreak

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-04 13:16

CANCUN, Mexico: China is well prepared to contain a cluster outbreak of A(H1N1) influenza, Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu said Friday.

Students of Nanhuzhongyuan Primary School leave a hotel where some others were quarantined after A(H1N1) flu broke out at the school in Chaoyang district of Beijing, July 1, 2009. [CFP]

Chen was here for the first global meeting on the deadly new A(H1N1) flu virus, which ended Friday.

Full coverage:  A（H1N1） Influenza Outbreak Related readings: Wen urges continued vigilance Mass flu infection at Beijing school caused by family servant Death toll from A(H1N1) flu reaches 337 worldwide: WHO Mainland A (H1N1) flu cases rise to 915, one death Flu patient died of electrocution

Regarding a recent mass infection of the virus at a Beijing primary school, Chen said that the Chinese government had foreseen such kind of flu outbreak in either communities or schools since the country had already registered cases infected both overseas and at home.

Noting that teenagers and young adults are more likely to get infected by the virus, Chen said that in many countries, the earliest detections of clustering flu cases were at schools.

He added that school summer holidays started as of this month in China, which will help reduce the possibility of mass infection of those most-likely-infected people.

On Friday in Beijing, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao presided over an executive meeting of the State Council, China's cabinet, which came up with seven measures to cope with the epidemic for future prevention efforts.

Top of the measures is the intensified prevention and control of the disease in public places such as schools and hospitals, which reflects that the Chinese government has adjusted its response to accommodate to new circumstances, Chen said.

The Chinese health minister voiced his confidence to tackle a possible next wave of flu outbreak in autumn and winter, adding China would take preventive measures in advance.

The Cancun meeting brought together delegates and health ministers from 43 nations to share experiences in fighting the disease, evaluate the current situation, exchange information and discuss measures to confront the pandemic.

The flu has killed 382 people and infected 89,921 across the globe, according to the latest WHO data.