With poultry farms in three provinces infected by confirmed avian flu, several other regions are waiting for a verdict on suspected cases.

Although the most recent to be infected by the disastrous and deadly epidemic, China has become the largest of the 10 Asian economies hit by the disease since it was first reported in December.

Memories of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak are still fresh. It led to hundreds of deaths barely one year ago.

Government officials had little time to lay back during the just-finished Spring Festival. The State Council, or cabinet, had an emergency meeting on Thursday to map out policies to deal with the avian flu.

In fact, efforts have been ongoing since early January to control poultry imports, enforce food hygiene standards, and monitor the domestic poultry trade.

The State Council's Thursday meeting highlighted the issues of disease reporting and the policing of the poultry industry. Arrangements were made to support local disease control efforts.

Bird flu control has hit the headlines of every major national and regional newspaper these past few days.

Society's awareness has reached an unprecedented level.

People of all walks of life are waiting for further reports from the frontlines of the disease control campaign. They all share the anxiety of bird farmers who are helplessly watching the dwindling demand for their products and a painful loss of their revenues.

With greater eagerness, however, the public is expecting public health authorities to find some clues to the cause of epidemic, which is fairly new. Most people know very little about it, but many fear the potential for a more widespread threat for human beings.

Contingency funds to step up research and swap information with health experts in other countries are a must.

Right now, too many aspects of the disease remain unclear, such as how the virus travels from one place to another, even across national borders where barely any trade takes place. Costly efforts are required to unravel these mysteries.

Indeed, resources to combat a disease whose ultimate threat is difficult to assess will be considerable. They are also needed to provide long-term protection of the nation's still toddling agricultural industry. China must build its health care service into a powerful new industry.

(China Daily February 2, 2004)