China will eliminate malaria in most of its regions by 2015, announced the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.

By the end of 2015, malaria will be eliminated in all the counties and cities in the country except the high prevalence areas in southwest China's Yunnan Province and the southernmost Hainan Province, said the ministry in its guidelines for malaria control from 2006 to 2010.

The worst affected regions, namely the border areas of Yunnan and central mountainous areas in Hainan, will bring malaria under control by 2015, said the guidelines.

Malaria spreads in 21 provinces and regions in China. The number of cases exceeded 740,000 in 2004, according to figures from the ministry.

Local medical services detecting a malaria epidemic must report to the health authorities within two hours and the health authorities must report to the local governments within two hours. The local health authorities must also give timely reports to the Ministry of Health via the emergent public health incidents reporting network, requires the ministry.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2006)