China vows to keep killer flu out of border while sending chartered plane to Mexico

Source: Xinhua | 05-05-2009 08:12

BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang on Monday vowed to keep the worsening global epidemic of influenza A/H1N1 out of China's border, while the same day the government sent a chartered plane to Mexico to pick up around stranded 200 Chinese nationals.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (C) attends a symposium  together with experts on prevention and control of A/H1N1  Flu at the Ministry of Health in Beijing, May 4, 2009.  (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

"The most important work at present was to strictly check on border entry" as the killer disease has been mainly reported overseas, Li gave the direction during a visit to the Ministry of Health.

China could not rule out the possibility of the virus' spreading into its border although no confirmed case had been reported yet on its mainland, Li warned.

"We must be fully prepared and strive for the best outcome through orderly and effective work," he said. He ordered government bodies to step up technical equipment and material storage, arrange designated hospitals and be well prepared for emergencies.

Information transparency was of key importance to the scientific epidemic prevention and control, he said, calling for further improvement in information publicity.

"Infections within our border must be immediately publicized, and the prevention and control work must be transparent," he said.