Medical bills for those injured in a Lantern Festival stampede in Miyun County, which killed 37 people on Thursday, will be paid by the Beijing Municipal Government, the president of Beijing's Chaoyang Hospital said Sunday.

Five severely injured people are said to be recovering.

Journalists were allowed Sunday to visit patients in the intensive care unit of Miyun County Hospital.

"Life indices of a 66-year-old woman have returned to normal, and she has begun to eat food regularly," said Zhang Fuyun, a hospital spokesperson.

Zhang said three of the five severely injured have been transferred to ordinary wards while two remained in intensive care.

All five victims are improving, said Ren Xianghong, the hospital president.

Of the 37 people trampled to death during Miyun's Lantern Festival celebration, 25 were Miyun residents. The others were from various provinces.

The Beijing Municipal Health Bureau dispatched 42 ambulances and 110 doctors and drivers to the sight of the accident immediately after tragedy struck.

The rescue was quick, comprehensive and effective, said Zhao Yongchun, a doctor at the Beijing First-aid Center.

The first 15 injured people were sent to hospitals on Thursday night.

Liu Changjun, 35, and his 11-year-old sun, Liu Ye, who were admitted to the hospital for injuries, thanked doctors and nurses as they headed home on Saturday.

The father and son are from Xinglong County of neighboring Hebei Province.

Most patients still in hospital are expected to be discharged in a week, said Hu Bin, a surgeon from Chaoyang Hospital, who participated in the rescue efforts.

The accident occurred at 7:45 pm on Thursday in Mihong Park, where people were celebrating the Lantern Festival.

One spectator stumbled on a bridge, resulting in a stampede that caused many others to fall and be trampled upon.

Chinese president Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao called for the utmost efforts to save the injured and ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident.

The State Council on Saturday dispatched an inspection team to Miyun headed by Wang Dexue, deputy director of the State Administration for Supervision of Production Safety.

Officials from the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Supervision, All-China Federation of Trade Unions and Beijing Municipal Government are taking part in the investigation as well.

Miyun, a major water source for the country's capital, is located about 65 kilometers northeast of Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2004)