Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday urged local governments and relevant departments to earnestly implement eight major measures in an emergent effort to prevent and control the spread of the bird flu virus.

The eight measures were decided by the 37th executive meeting of the State Council, which was presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday. They are:

-- In the bird flu-hit areas, the bird flu epidemic situation must be announced to the general public timely and accurately. All the infected poultry must be slaughtered and the affected areas sanitized to stem further spread.

-- In the bird flu-unaffected areas, emergency plans for the occurrence of bird flu must be worked out as soon as possible. Epidemic prevention and control measures and epidemic monitoring must be stepped up, especially at major poultry farms.

-- Funds for compensating farmers must be well prepared. Farmers whose poultry have been culled must be compensated by the government in a reasonable way. The funds will be shared by both the central government and local governments.

-- Scientific research on the deadly virus should be intensified. Specialists should be aroused and organized to do sweeping research on the bird flu virus. The production and reservation of the bird flu vaccine must be arranged and international exchanges and cooperation on the virus research should be carried out.

-- The quarantine work must be intensified on the poultry imported or exported and poultry smuggling must be cracked down on.

-- Conscientious and painstaking efforts must be made to ensure that every Chinese person acquaints himself with the basic information on what bird flu is and how to contain the disease.

-- Resolute, substantial efforts must be made to prevent the deadly virus from spreading to human beings. Medical monitoring should be beefed up among the people who are in close contact with poultry, and,

-- The infrastructure construction for poultry quarantine must be stepped up and an emergency system for the outbreak of major animal epidemics must be established.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2004)