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The recent outbreak of Epidemic encephalitis B in parts of Guangdong Province has aroused the concerns of some citizens, worrying whether this infectious disease will affect Beijing as did the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Regarding this, an expert with Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention pointed out in an interview that epidemic encephalitis B will not occur in Beijing.
According to He Xiong, deputy-director with the Beijing center mentioned above, said his center is keeping a good watch over the situation of encephalitis B broken out in parts of Guangdong and intensifies monitoring of Beijing in the meanwhile.
As a matter of fact, the city had long ago included the vaccination against encephalitis B in children's immunization plan, and the vaccination proportion has all along been kept at around 98 percent. Although the vaccination work this year has been adversely affected by SARS, it will have been completed by July at the latest. When vaccinated, people will have antibody, so it is scarcely possible to get infected by this disease.
Since the pathogen of encephalitis B exists in pigs and the disease is transmitted by mosquito and other insects, the center has also strengthened monitoring of pig herds. Judging from information on hand, Beijing is capable of controlling the spread of encephalitis B.
He Xiong also cautioned citizens against food poisoning this summer. With SARS fading away, many people ignore experts' repeated call for keeping sanitary habits, as shown by the decreasing number of people who wash their hands carefully upon returning home from outside, while there is a sudden increase in the number of those dining in restaurants.
However, germs and virus in summer days are likely to reproduce on food, especially cold dishes. Experts remind citizens of the need to pay attention to personal hygiene, washing hands regularly and staying away from putrid food. By raising precautious awareness, the possibility of food poisoning will be reduced.
(People's Daily June 25, 2003)
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