China drafts emergency plans for influenza By Wang Zhenghua (China Daily) Updated: 2005-09-12 05:44 Orange is when human-to-human infections occur among a small group of people.
In this situation, people are encouraged to dial a special phone number to
report outbreaks. Schools, factories and other institutions will be closed, in
addition to a number of other measures.
Red level marks the most severe threat, when a large-scale flu outbreak
occurs.
Correspondingly, health authorities will report the outbreak on a regular
basis, and will give out medications and vaccines against the virus.
Dr Julie Hall, co-ordinator in charge of communicable disease surveillance
and response with World Health Organization (WHO) China, said late last week
that a pandemic is overdue.
Thirty-seven years have passed since China last reported an outbreak.
Yang said inoculation and surveillance are only measures to curb an endemic.
(China Daily 09/12/2005 page2)
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