BEIJING: Beijing has recorded nearly 60 percent more A/H1N1 flu cases over the past week, said the municipal health bureau Thursday.

The bureau said the city has recorded 1,299 cases during the period, up 58.61 percent, and 6,196 such cases involving 3,727 men and 2,469 women so far.

Fang Laiying, director of the health bureau, said high chances of infection of A/H1N1 flu and severe symptoms were normal because the general public are not immune to the flu and the possibility of more deaths could not be ruled out.

In Shanghai, the local government and health bureau said the number of A/H1N1 flu cases was increasing, but at a steady pace.

The city has recorded 1,278 cases so far, including two serious cases, and 1,107 patients have been cured.

Both Beijing and Shanghai have begun providing free vaccination against the disease for students, teachers, medical personnel, police and others.

Shanghai has so far provided free vaccination for 41,618 people, and 58 of which reported suspected minor side effects.

Experts in Beijing and Shanghai called upon the public to take vaccinations.

China's State Council said Wednesday the country faces "severe challenges" in the prevention and control of A/H1N1 flu after some areas reported a sharp increase in the number of patients infected by the epidemic.

The State Council, or the Cabinet, ordered government departments at all levels to beef up measures to prevent large-scale outbreak of the disease and vaccine producers to speed up their production.