Atypical pneumonia demands joint counteraction

The authorities of Primorye and the Chinese city of Suifenghe have agreed to jointly counteract the spread of SARS.

The press service of the territorial administration reported on Tuesday that the negotiations had taken place in China.

Members of the Primorye delegation visited the major transport junctions, medical institutions for treatment of persons with symptoms of atypical pneumonia, places of residence of foreign tourists and the main control outpost in the entrance to Suifenghe.

Head state sanitary physician in the Primorye territory Dmitry Maslov, a member of the delegation, pointed to deficiencies in the performance of sanitary-quarantine bodies in diagnosing and preventing atypical pneumonia in Suifenghe.

The inspection tour was followed by negotiations at which the Chinese side was represented by vice-governor of the Heilongjiang province Wang Liming.

The Chinese side reported that in connection with the spread in China of atypical pneumonia the province's authorities limited the entry for persons from other provinces. Contacts between populated areas have been reduced to the minimum.

At the bilateral negotiations it was proposed to hold regular joint meetings and exchanges of information on the epidemic every ten days.

To intensify the control of people crossing the Russian-Chinese border passage, including air passage, to and from China through all checkpoints except for the Pogranichny checkpoint has been forbidden. The introduction of a round-the-clock regime at the checkpoint will be co-ordinated with the Chinese side.