Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu said on Thursday that the country is "confident" and "capable" of preventing and containing the H1N1 influenza epidemic, which is believed to have claimed 160 lives globally.

"After the test of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and based on the effective working experience to combat bird flu in the past few years, we are confident and capable of preventing and containing H1N1 influenza epidemic." he told a press conference.

"We have to take into consideration the worst possibilities while making the best preparations," he said, adding that both China and the rest of the world had made great tremendous progress in combating public health emergencies since the outbreak of SARS in 2003, which caused painful experience for the Chinese people.

Cases of H1N1 influenza epidemic will be immediately reported and infected individuals will be treated in isolation once they are confirmed, according to the official.

So far, China has not found a case of H1N1 influenza epidemic infection, another official told the press conference.

The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert level on Wednesday to Phase Five out of a possible six, meaning that the pandemic is imminent.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)