"Sichuan Province also took effective prevention measures but the overall situation is still arduous," he said.

He asked local authorities to care for the wellbeing of the people under observation and offer psychological consultation to them.

Further measures should be taken to "enhance entry-exit inspection and quarantine and step up technological preparation and material storage."

He stressed that transparent prevention and control work was vital to ensure people's right-to-know and prevent panic.

"Domestic and international studies show that the A/H1N1 flu is preventable, controllable and treatable," Li said, adding "public education should be strengthened to enhance people's ability for disease prevention so as to ensure a normal life order, smooth and relatively fast economic development and a harmonious and stable society.

The State Council held a meeting on Monday to discuss further steps for the prevention of the disease.

Officials at the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Wen, agreed that China faces a "complicated and grave" situation as the epidemic has yet been controlled globally and new cases kept emerging.

Strict quarantine will continue to be adopted for people, goods and vehicles entering its border from countries that have reported the A/H1N1 cases.

Epidemic monitoring and reporting systems will also be strengthened for early discovery, early reporting, and timely diagnosis and treatment of patients, if there is any, according to the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2009)