There has been no outbreak of major infectious diseases or public health emergencies in quake-devastated Sichuan Province in southwest China.

Li Chengyun, vice governor of Sichuan, said at a news briefing Saturday that officials had been monitoring the environment in quake zone around the clock and found 52 sources of drinking water in 11 areas met potability standards.

The quality of water obtained from the Fuhe River, which flows through the provincial capital Chengdu from the quake-battered zone in northern Sichuan, showed few negative changes in comparison with indices recorded prior to Monday's quake, and was almost the same as the same period last year.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan Province at 2:28 PM Monday, with Wenchuan County at the epicenter. The death toll had risen to 28,881 nationwide, including 28,389 in Sichuan, as of 2:00 PM Saturday, while 198,347 people are injured, according to the Information Office of the State Council.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)