China on alert for Dengue fever from SE Asia
( 2001-08-16 11:11 ) (8 )

Chinese citizens who have traveled in Southeast Asian nations are required to report to quarantine authorities after entering China if symptoms like headache, fever or skin eruptions occur.

Since May, some Southeast Asian nations like Thailand have been experiencing a serious outbreak of dengue fever, a kind of acute epidemic originating in tropical and subtropical regions.

A joint circular has been released recently by the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine, the Ministry of Health and the National Tourism Administration to keep the epidemic out of China, Thursday's China Daily reports.

Vehicles and containers from the regions hit by dengue fever should be strictly checked for mosquitoes, which are responsible for the spread of the dengue virus, according to the circular.

Travelers to Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations are also advised to become acquainted with dengue fever prevention measures.

Thailand has become a major tourist destination for Chinese travelers, attracting over 700,000 Chinese visitors every year, the newspaper says.