The number of emergent public health incidents in China's mainland rose 30.43 percent year-on-year in February, according to government statistics.

A report released by China's Ministry of Health on Friday said the country reported 6,381 people involved in 60 cases of emergent public health incidents last month, in which 54 people died.

It reported three major incidents in February, namely three human bird flu cases in the central Henan Province, southern Guangdong Province and the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Three people died in these incidents.

The ministry ordered health departments in various regions to closely monitor the situation of public health incidents, including human bird flu, plague, pneumonia of unknown reasons, measles, influenza, chicken pox and mumps.

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2008)