No epidemics have been reported in the regions struck by Monday's earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Gao Qiang, deputy health minister, told reporters on Thursday.

Responding to a question from CCTV concerning diseases in the disaster area, Gao said: "We will try to achieve the goal of 'no big epidemic after a great disaster'."

"We have made careful plans for disease control and prevention in disaster areas and have sent a large group of medical workers to those areas to carry out the plans," said Gao.

"However, whether we achieve the goal of 'no big epidemic after a great disaster' will depend on the real work we do in those areas," he added.

Gao said that on Monday evening the Ministry of Health sent 700 medical workers to disaster-hit areas for first aid with 15 tonnes of drugs and supplies of blood and blood plasma.

As of 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, the ministry had organized 190 medical teams with 1,755 people from 18 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities to do rescue work in those areas. A total of 5,000 medical workers from outside Sichuan Province including medical teams from the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the armed police and from the public security systems and another 5,000 from inside the province are working in those areas, he said.

Fifteen containers of medical operation devices, tents and other medical necessities were transported to those areas on Tuesday, he said.

Gao said they would step up the disinfection of drinking water and food to avoid diseases caused by contamination. More disinfection work would be targeted on certain kinds of virus and bacteria. People in those areas would also be given vaccine against epidemics.

He said bodies of the dead would be handled properly as soon as possible to prevent harmful bacteria from growing.

"We should not add to the losses caused by natural disasters and let people suffer more just because we have not done our job well," said Gao, adding that the medical workers across the country will be mobilized for help in disaster-hit areas.

"We would not be able to face our country and our people in those areas, if the goal could not be achieved," he said.

He added that China will "never give up" rescuing people buried in ruins in the quake-hit areas.

"As long as there's a trace of hope, we'll make our utmost efforts and never give up."

The ministry's disaster relief personnel have timely reached all the quake-stricken areas where the roads had been cleared, according to him.

"As for the areas with blocked roads, we have utilized 90 helicopters to transfer disaster relief personnel day and night to these remote areas to carry out effective medical treatment."

He said if any epidemics are detected, people with the diseases will be strictly quarantined and the diseases should be brought under control promptly.

Gao stressed that medical workers should also pay attention to their own health. "We have learnt from them that there is no serious epidemic in disaster-hit areas."

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2008)