The State Council announced new guidelines on emergency public health situations Monday, considered a critical step to improve the country's legal system to deal with public health emergencies.

In line with the Law to Prevent and Control Infectious Diseases that took effect in 1989, the country has informed the public of the SARS situation every day, quarantined SARS-hit areas and people, punished activities violating the law and dismissed derelict government officials.

"The new government regulations will overcome the weaknesses of the public health system to fight against SARS by making full use of the law," said Mo Jihong, an expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

China has previously developed laws to deal with emergencies like earthquakes and floods, but the country's public health system was not well prepared for the SARS epidemic.

The new rules clearly define the duty of relevant administrations and introduce some practical measures that have been taken against SARS, Mo said.

The new regulations elaborate on and further specialize the items on public health emergencies of the Law to Prevent and Control Infectious Diseases, said Wang Yue, an expert with Beijing University.

The rules will fill a gap in the country's legal system, Wang added.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2003)