Vice-premier stresses H7N9 treatment, prevention

BEIJING - Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong has called for further efforts both in preventing the spread of H7N9 infections and the treatment of patients after visiting the country's disease control center.

Liu visited researchers at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday and held a forum with the center's experts.

She called for more transparency of information regarding the virus and said any new infection should be discovered, reported, diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

The monitoring and reporting of relevant cases should be intensified and government departments should work together in preventing and controlling the virus, Liu said.

She also required all-out efforts in treating patients.

Liu said President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang are paying great attention to the prevention and control of the H7N9 avian influenza and have required both the careful treatment of patients and control of the virus from spreading.

The vice-premier told relevant authorities and  medical workers to take concrete measures in protecting people's lives and health.

She stressed better supervision and administration of the poultry market so as to control infections from the sources.

She also called for more research to identify the pathology and transmission pattern of the virus and assess its threat, in order to provide information for the formulation of a scientific prevention and control program.

Furthermore, she said efforts should be made to promote the public's awareness of self-protection against infections.