Cover News:

Early detection, reporting, and treatment are important principles in response to new and sudden outbreaks of infectious diseases. What progress has been achieved in upgrading the monitoring system and direct online reporting system for infectious diseases? What achievements have been made in strengthening the capacity for major epidemic prevention, control, and emergency response? What measures will be taken next? Thank you.

Wang Hesheng:

Thank you for your questions. Monitoring, early warning, and emergency response are all key factors in infectious disease prevention and control. We have developed a smart, multi-point triggered monitoring and early warning system, increasingly improving our capacity in major epidemic prevention, control, and emergency response. In terms of monitoring and early warning, we have focused our efforts on improving quality, expanding coverage, and strengthening effectiveness.

First, we have improved the quality of information reporting. We improved our online direct reporting system for infectious diseases and adjusted early warning indicators in order to detect, investigate, and deal with abnormal signals in time. We issued a list of responsibilities for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, launched pilot programs for establishing a disease-control supervisor system, and ensured that all those involved assumed their full responsibilities to report information on infectious diseases. Also, we promoted the development of an information platform for infectious diseases monitoring, early warning, and emergency command and realized step-by-step automatic data exchanges between medical institutions at or above the secondary level and the disease-control information system. By doing so, infectious disease monitoring has changed from a passive system to an initiative.

Second, we have created more channels for infectious disease monitoring. We established and improved monitoring systems targeting fever clinics, monitoring station hospitals, virus variants, and city sewage. We explored and carried out trials to monitor various acute respiratory infection pathogens and created a multi-channel monitoring system that covers both normal operation and emergency response, inbound and domestic cases, cities and the countryside, and the general public and key population groups. 

Third, we have strengthened interdepartmental coordination. We promoted monitoring data and information sharing among departments and held regular interdepartmental consultation sessions to jointly conduct epidemic risk assessments.

In terms of emergency response, we have focused our efforts on establishing mechanisms, strengthening team-building, and enhancing capacity. To address new and sudden outbreaks of infectious diseases and major infectious diseases, we have continued to improve infectious disease emergency planning system and intensified emergency response exercises, bolstering our capacity to respond to emergencies and conduct epidemiological investigations. Also, we accelerated the building of national-level infectious disease emergency response teams. So far, 20 national teams have been established for the prevention and control of acute infectious disease emergencies. This year, the central government has provided greater fiscal support to build another five national teams as well as infectious disease emergency response units at the prefecture and county level all over the country.

We will further enhance interdepartmental coordination, collaboration between hospitals and institutions for disease prevention and control, and multi-channel connectivity. We will improve monitoring mechanisms and establish a multi-point triggered, responsive, authoritative, and highly effective infectious diseases monitoring and early warning system supported by national and provincial-level regional platforms for infectious disease monitoring, early warning, and emergency command, so as to enhance the country's capacity for infectious diseases emergency response. Thank you.