An epidemic warning has been issued for southeast China's Jiangxi Province. This alert was the first to be put out jointly by the Provincial Meteorological Observatory and the Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases, aiming at the prevention of the infectious diseases which are prone to break out in hot weather.

Heavy rains struck central and southern Jiangxi in mid June causing localized flooding. As temperatures rise, some diseases such as leptospirosis, encephalitis B and malaria become easily spread.

Medical experts studied 17,000 cases of influenza, bronchial asthma, respiratory diseases, coronary heart disease and cerebral vascular disease in the province over the past four years. They found them to be closely related to weather conditions and classified them as "meteorological diseases."

In a bid to tackle this problem, the Provincial Meteorological Observatory and the Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases have worked together to analyze the data and construct early-warning models for respiratory infections, leptospirosis, meningococcal meningitis, influenza, measles, encephalitis B, malaria and other meteorological diseases. The models can predict risk of epidemic under various weather conditions.

The two organizations will set up a comprehensive system of medical weather forecasting. This will involve bulletins being issued every 20 days with early warning alerts for meteorological diseases. Ad hoc reports will also be issued to deal with developing situations.

The bulletins and ad hoc reports will include information on the symptoms of the meteorological diseases and the prevention measures. Additional information will also be provided to help in the event of meteorological disasters.

(China.org.cn by Feng Yikun, August 1, 2002)