Beijing takes steps to reduce spread of disease after flooding

Beijing has taken five measures to protect public health and avoid the spread of disease, said Xia Linmao, vice-mayor of the capital city, in a news conference on Wednesday.

Beijing has endeavored to treat the wounds left by the recent flooding. It has organized 12,800 medical personnel to participate in treatment and transferred more than 3,300 patients. Hospitals have arranged to have medical experts on duty all day, and special channels to track the treatment of patients affected by the storm.

It has assembled more than 150 water trucks for villagers, and provided water storage tanks and bottled water to villages that have no access to tap water. Professional workers have been sent to desilt, fix, disinfect and test water plants, supply lines and wells to restore water supply as soon as possible.

Additionally, the city has begun to desilt flooded areas and eliminate flies, mosquitoes, mice and cockroaches.

Meanwhile, Beijing has strengthened disease monitoring. A comprehensive disease risk monitoring system has been established in flood-hit areas to monitor intestinal infectious diseases, public health, water supply safety and disease-carrying pest density.

What's more, it has organized 24 mental health professional teams to provide psychological counseling in flood-hit regions and opened 18 psychological assistance hotlines.