China's Ministry of Health Monday ordered local health departments to intensify disease prevention in the country's flood-stricken areas.
   
The ministry said in a notice that provincial health departments must report their disease monitoring results every day and to ensure no fatal epidemic diseases break out.
   
The ministry has allocated 39.88 million yuan (US$5.24 million) to the flood-hit areas for disease control.
   
According to statistics on the ministry's website, 980 counties in 23 Chinese regions have been affected by various rainstorms and floods since the middle of May.
   
On July 18, the Ministry of Health sent four teams to flood-stricken areas including Jiangsu and Anhui to assist medical services.
   
Figures compiled on July 16 by the Ministry of Civil Affairs showed 200 million people in China were affected by natural disasters, including floods, landslides, droughts, gales, snowstorms and earthquakes, while 4.45 million people were forced to leave their homes this year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2007)