Wu met Henk Bekedam, the World Health Organization's (WHO) representative in China, and other members of a WHO expert team in Beijing this afternoon and briefed them on the approaches that China plans to take.

According to Wu, around-the-clock English hotlines and websites are to be set up in China's major cities to deal with queries concerning atypical pneumonia, and hospitals will make special medical service available to foreigners.

The personnel in foreign embassies, consulates, large corporations and media will be invited to briefings that will provide up-to-date information on atypical pneumonia in China and materials on the prevention of the disease, Wu said.

The relevant educational departments will also brief overseas students about the latest situation of the disease to ease their worries, Wu added.

A tourist card will be given to foreigners on entering China, notifying them where they can find relevant prevention knowledge and providing hospital phone numbers.

The sanitation work at public places such as airports and bus stations will be strengthened and taxis in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are required to undergo daily disinfection, Wu stressed.

Persons having contact with infected persons will be kept under supervision and inspected by investigation teams made up of thousands of medical workers, Wu said, adding that the teams are expected to report and brief on the latest information in a timely manner.

The WHO experts arrived in Beijing on March 23 at the request of China's Ministry of Health to work together with Chinese specialists on atypical pneumonia. They have investigated Beijing and China's southern province of Guangdong during their visit.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2003)