China outlines tighter anti-flu measures following WHO's pandemic declaration

Mao Qun'an, a spokesman with the Health Ministry, said the country "understands, supports and cooperates with" the world health body's pandemic declaration, pledging to further beef up its flu prevention and control work. The WHO on Thursday raised its pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6, the highest level, formally declaring the widely spreadingA/H1N1 influenza has developed into a global pandemic. "As the objective for the current stage, we'll endeavor to decrease domestic cases, prevent community transmission, step up treatment of serious cases and cope with possible future changes of the epidemic," Mao told a press conference here. He said the previous policy of "keeping the virus outside the border and preventing its spread within the country" had proved to be effective and practical and would be continued. As of 8 a.m. Friday, 13 Chinese mainland provinces and municipalities had reported 126 confirmed A/H1N1 flu cases, of whom 60 had recovered and been discharged from hospitals. There have been no deaths, Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.chinaview.cn for full version.