China rigorous in preventing plague from spreading

Chinese health agencies are making every possible effort to prevent the spread of plague, Deng Haihua, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said Tuesday.

The ministry reported on Monday that one person in southwest China's Sichuan Province died of plague on Sept. 7.

Those who reportedly had close contact with the patient have not yet developed abnormal symptoms, Deng said at a press conference.

The ministry will keep the public well-informed on the latest developments and possible risks related to this matter, Deng said.

The ministry has also reported this case to relevant governmental departments, the World Health Organization, local authorities in Hong Kong and Macao as well as other countries that may be concerned with this case.

The health department in Sichuan has sent disease prevention and control specialists to the scene to prevent the infectious disease from spreading further.

An emergency headquarters in the epidemic center has also been set up. Authorities have made all-out efforts to trace and quarantine those who had close contact with the patient, and to conduct epidemic surveying and lab tests, Deng said.

Plague is categorized as a Class A infectious disease, the most serious under China's Law on the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases.

The disease killed one person last year and two in 2010, according to the ministry's statistics.