. Earth Science News .
Epidemics emerge as major threat in China's quake zone: report

by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) June 18, 2008
Infectious diseases are emerging as a major threat in China's quake zone, with injured and traumatised victims most at risk, the health minister was quoted as saying Wednesday.

As summer approaches, the warmer weather creates optimal conditions for epidemics, with survivors of the massive May 12 quake particularly vulnerable to disease, the China Daily reported, citing Health Minister Chen Zhu.

"Simply experiencing such a huge trauma weakens people's immune systems. For those in more vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and children, the risk of infection is even greater," Chen said, according to the paper.

Although no major disease outbreak has occurred, the paper warned that health workers were facing an "uphill battle," with medical services in the quake zone taking a serious hit.

"We are trying our best to meet the health service demands and restore proper facilities as soon as possible," Chen said, according to the paper.

Earlier this month, Health Ministry spokesman Mao Qunan said there would be no epidemics in an online discussion on www.gov.cn.

"We have the ability and the confidence to guarantee that after the disaster, there will be no epidemics," the spokesman said.

Given the large loss of manpower, medical workers from other parts of the country will be deployed to help those in the quake area, he said.

In the first 10 days of June, more than half a million children under the age of 12 in quake-affected areas were vaccinated against infections, such as hepatitis A and encephalitis B, the paper said.

The death toll from the Sichuan earthquake, the worst natural disaster to hit China in three decades, had reached 69,172 on Tuesday, the government said. Another 17,420 people were still missing.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Bird flu hits southern China: state press
Beijing (AFP) June 17, 2008
Authorities in southern China have begun destroying poultry after bird flu was detected to stop the disease spreading, state press said Tuesday.







  • Spate of disasters empties Red Cross coffers
  • Guard Units Provide Real-Time Video Of Flood Damaged Areas
  • Echo SatCom Launches Hurricane Preparedness Program
  • NASA Data Helps Pinpoint Impacted Populations In Disaster Aftermath

  • US should take on lead role in climate change battle: envoy
  • US envoy says no 'G8 solution' to climate change
  • China biggest CO2 emitter last year: Dutch agency
  • UN climate chief spurs talks on new global warming pact

  • NMSU Uses Information Collected In Space To Help Those On The Ground
  • Aster Images Sichuan Earthquake In China
  • Japanese astronaut says Earth is 'beautiful'
  • Northrop Grumman To Modify CERES Sensor For NPOESS Prep Mission To Improve Climate Data Payload

  • Bush calls on Congress to lift offshore drilling ban
  • Brazil's Petrobras to start biofuel sales in Japan: report
  • The United States' big crude habit
  • Japan, China strike landmark gas-sharing deal

  • Epidemics emerge as major threat in China's quake zone: report
  • Bird flu hits southern China: state press
  • Wet Or Dry, Montana Still Threatened By West Nile
  • Hong Kong traders may have ignored bird flu warning signs: govt

  • Unlocking The Genome Of The Worst Bug On Planet Earth
  • Most of panda habitat damaged or destroyed in China quake
  • Scientists Confirm That Parts Of Earliest Genetic Material May Have Come From The Stars
  • Taking The Temperature Of The No-Fly Zone

  • First army-controlled dump opens in Naples region
  • Persistent Man-Made Chemical Pollutants Found In Deep-Sea Octopods And Squids
  • Czech watchdog highlights risk from ageing missiles
  • Naples 'submerged' under rubbish despite Berlusconi visit: paper

  • Brain Scans Reveal What's Behind The Aversion To Loss Of Possessions
  • Origins Of The Brain
  • Human Mobility Is Not A Random Event
  • 112 candles for Europe's oldest man

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement