China beefs up preventions against Ebola

As intense media coverage on the US Ebola cases continues, China is getting a case of the jitters over the deadly virus as online rumors spread unnecessary fear.

Over the past weekend, a widely-circulated rumor on social media said an Ebola infection was confirmed in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo.

The city's public health bureau refuted the rumor on Monday, saying a Nigerian man kept under observation since Thursday has tested negative for the deadly virus and his body temperature returned to normal on Friday.

So far, no Ebola cases are reported in China. But for people who experienced the deadly SARS and H7N9 bird flu outbreaks, nervousness is regarded as a natural reaction.

HEIGHTENED RISK

China's National Health and Family Planning Commission has put out an alert on the heightened risk of imported cases, given the large number of people travelling across the borders.

It has issued a notice calling for all health and disease control authorities and medical institutions to make self check-ups. They hope to see if sufficient precautions and prevention measures have been put in place by the end of the month.

The commission also has ordered precautionary measures against people who come from the virus-plagued regions or had contact with Ebola patients or people with high fevers from the regions.

In Guangdong, the forefront of the battlefield to keep the virus out of the country, the prevention efforts are under way. Local health authorities have designated medical institutions to screen and treat potential cases.

The industrial southern province faces a high risk of imported cases and faces enormous disease prevention challenges, the provincial entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau has warned.

With booming economic ties with Africa, Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong, receives over 160 non-stop flights from Africa per month. Meanwhile, many Africans enter the province after flight transfers at other neighboring overseas airports.

The Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair, held in Guangzhou, mirrors the enormous challenge facing Guangdong as it hosts 200,000 overseas buyers, with up to 20,000 from Africa.

Local health authorities have set up temperature-testing facilities at the entrances to the exhibition centers to ensure any suspected cases are spotted as soon as possible.