The health situation in areas affected by China's earthquake is "extremely grim" as the peak summer period for disease outbreaks begins, a top official from worst-hit Sichuan province said today.

"Now is the peak season for disease outbreaks and the situation is extremely grim," Sichuan Vice Governor Li Chengyun told a Beijing press conference.

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Li said provincial and national authorities were racing to head off any such outbreaks and that none had yet been reported.

However, he added that the risk remained great and that people in devastated areas badly needed tents and medical supplies, especially antibiotics.

Li added that the government's top priority was rescuing anyone still trapped under the rubble 11 days after the quake.

"On rescuing people, if there is the slightest possibility of saving a life, we will make a hundred-fold effort," Li said, repeating an earlier exhortation by Premier Wen Jiabao.

But he suggested that the province was gradually turning from that task to the immense challenge of feeding, sheltering and meeting the health needs of what he said were 5.47 million people left homeless.

The quake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, caused 5.46 million buildings to collapse in the province, he said.

Xinhua news agency had earlier reported that authorities in the province had sent in 180 special rodent-control specialists and set up 30 monitoring stations in worst-hit areas to ward off an infestation of rats and mice.

The quake has killed a confirmed 55,239 people in the province and left another 24,949, Li said.

Hundreds of deaths also have been reported in neighbouring provinces.

Meanwhile, a few foreigners have been quietly arriving in the nation, offering medical body recovery assistance as the health situation deteriorates.

They have brought medicines, tents, fresh water -- even sniffer dogs.

With Chinese officialdom refusing permission for other relief workers and agencies to enter the country, they have arrived in Sichuan's capital Chengdu almost surreptitiously.

Some have relied on the support and cooperation of Chinese embassies and, once they arrive, local people and organisations such as hotels have offered them discounted or even free services.

To help in the search for the dead, a three-man team from the Dutch organisation Signi Searchdogs de Rips arrived in Chengdu on May 17 with four dogs after taking vacation time to offer their expertise.

For almost a week, veterinarians Esther van Neerbos, Janette Kruit and Saad Atta, with their Labrador and three Belgian shepherds have been recovering bodies in some of the worst-hit areas, including Hanwang, which was almost totally flattened.

Van Neerbos told AFP their trip was only made possible with the help of China's embassy in Amsterdam and the Dutch embassy in Beijing.

"We have not been given official permission to be here, we have to work around that," she said.

Van Neerbos said that yesterday the dogs helped recover the remains of 11 people in the Hanwang administration building, a day after finding 22 bodies in what had been residences.

Hong Kong residents Hugh Chow and Gavin Neale arrived in Chengdu yesterday carrying 150 kilos of medicines and food from two non-profit groups, International Rescue Corps of Scotland and Hartech Rescue of Alberta, Canada, that were denied entry last week.

Neale said they were waved through Chengdu's airport by sympathetic immigration and customs officials even though they were travelling as tourists.

"We have been offering the medicine and tents to hospitals and medical groups, and we have hundreds of British and Canadian military rations that foreign doctors working out in the epicentre can make use of," Neale said.

The two organisations had brought to Hong Kong high-tech search equipment, including endoscopy and sonic search aids, which they had taken back with them, he said.
CHN: China quake zone faces 'grim' health situation: official
The health situation in areas affected by China's earthquake is "extremely grim" as the peak summer period for disease outbreaks begins, a top official from worst-hit Sichuan province said today.

"Now is the peak season for disease outbreaks and the situation is extremely grim," Sichuan Vice Governor Li Chengyun told a Beijing press conference.

Li said provincial and national authorities were racing to head off any such outbreaks and that none had yet been reported.

However, he added that the risk remained great and that people in devastated areas badly needed tents and medical supplies, especially antibiotics.

Li added that the government's top priority was rescuing anyone still trapped under the rubble 11 days after the quake.

"On rescuing people, if there is the slightest possibility of saving a life, we will make a hundred-fold effort," Li said, repeating an earlier exhortation by Premier Wen Jiabao.

But he suggested that the province was gradually turning from that task to the immense challenge of feeding, sheltering and meeting the health needs of what he said were 5.47 million people left homeless.

The quake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, caused 5.46 million buildings to collapse in the province, he said.

Xinhua news agency had earlier reported that authorities in the province had sent in 180 special rodent-control specialists and set up 30 monitoring stations in worst-hit areas to ward off an infestation of rats and mice.

The quake has killed a confirmed 55,239 people in the province and left another 24,949, Li said.

Hundreds of deaths also have been reported in neighbouring provinces.

Meanwhile, a few foreigners have been quietly arriving in the nation, offering medical body recovery assistance as the health situation deteriorates.

They have brought medicines, tents, fresh water -- even sniffer dogs.

With Chinese officialdom refusing permission for other relief workers and agencies to enter the country, they have arrived in Sichuan's capital Chengdu almost surreptitiously.

Some have relied on the support and cooperation of Chinese embassies and, once they arrive, local people and organisations such as hotels have offered them discounted or even free services.

To help in the search for the dead, a three-man team from the Dutch organisation Signi Searchdogs de Rips arrived in Chengdu on May 17 with four dogs after taking vacation time to offer their expertise.

For almost a week, veterinarians Esther van Neerbos, Janette Kruit and Saad Atta, with their Labrador and three Belgian shepherds have been recovering bodies in some of the worst-hit areas, including Hanwang, which was almost totally flattened.

Van Neerbos told AFP their trip was only made possible with the help of China's embassy in Amsterdam and the Dutch embassy in Beijing.

"We have not been given official permission to be here, we have to work around that," she said.

Van Neerbos said that yesterday the dogs helped recover the remains of 11 people in the Hanwang administration building, a day after finding 22 bodies in what had been residences.

Hong Kong residents Hugh Chow and Gavin Neale arrived in Chengdu yesterday carrying 150 kilos of medicines and food from two non-profit groups, International Rescue Corps of Scotland and Hartech Rescue of Alberta, Canada, that were denied entry last week.

Neale said they were waved through Chengdu's airport by sympathetic immigration and customs officials even though they were travelling as tourists.

"We have been offering the medicine and tents to hospitals and medical groups, and we have hundreds of British and Canadian military rations that foreign doctors working out in the epicentre can make use of," Neale said.

The two organisations had brought to Hong Kong high-tech search equipment, including endoscopy and sonic search aids, which they had taken back with them, he said.
CHN: China quake zone faces 'grim' health situation: official
The health situation in areas affected by China's earthquake is "extremely grim" as the peak summer period for disease outbreaks begins, a top official from worst-hit Sichuan province said today.

"Now is the peak season for disease outbreaks and the situation is extremely grim," Sichuan Vice Governor Li Chengyun told a Beijing press conference.

Li said provincial and national authorities were racing to head off any such outbreaks and that none had yet been reported.

However, he added that the risk remained great and that people in devastated areas badly needed tents and medical supplies, especially antibiotics.

Li added that the government's top priority was rescuing anyone still trapped under the rubble 11 days after the quake.

"On rescuing people, if there is the slightest possibility of saving a life, we will make a hundred-fold effort," Li said, repeating an earlier exhortation by Premier Wen Jiabao.

But he suggested that the province was gradually turning from that task to the immense challenge of feeding, sheltering and meeting the health needs of what he said were 5.47 million people left homeless.

The quake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, caused 5.46 million buildings to collapse in the province, he said.

Xinhua news agency had earlier reported that authorities in the province had sent in 180 special rodent-control specialists and set up 30 monitoring stations in worst-hit areas to ward off an infestation of rats and mice.

The quake has killed a confirmed 55,239 people in the province and left another 24,949, Li said.

Hundreds of deaths also have been reported in neighbouring provinces.

Meanwhile, a few foreigners have been quietly arriving in the nation, offering medical body recovery assistance as the health situation deteriorates.

They have brought medicines, tents, fresh water -- even sniffer dogs.

With Chinese officialdom refusing permission for other relief workers and agencies to enter the country, they have arrived in Sichuan's capital Chengdu almost surreptitiously.

Some have relied on the support and cooperation of Chinese embassies and, once they arrive, local people and organisations such as hotels have offered them discounted or even free services.

To help in the search for the dead, a three-man team from the Dutch organisation Signi Searchdogs de Rips arrived in Chengdu on May 17 with four dogs after taking vacation time to offer their expertise.

For almost a week, veterinarians Esther van Neerbos, Janette Kruit and Saad Atta, with their Labrador and three Belgian shepherds have been recovering bodies in some of the worst-hit areas, including Hanwang, which was almost totally flattened.

Van Neerbos told AFP their trip was only made possible with the help of China's embassy in Amsterdam and the Dutch embassy in Beijing.

"We have not been given official permission to be here, we have to work around that," she said.

Van Neerbos said that yesterday the dogs helped recover the remains of 11 people in the Hanwang administration building, a day after finding 22 bodies in what had been residences.

Hong Kong residents Hugh Chow and Gavin Neale arrived in Chengdu yesterday carrying 150 kilos of medicines and food from two non-profit groups, International Rescue Corps of Scotland and Hartech Rescue of Alberta, Canada, that were denied entry last week.

Neale said they were waved through Chengdu's airport by sympathetic immigration and customs officials even though they were travelling as tourists.

"We have been offering the medicine and tents to hospitals and medical groups, and we have hundreds of British and Canadian military rations that foreign doctors working out in the epicentre can make use of," Neale said.

The two organisations had brought to Hong Kong high-tech search equipment, including endoscopy and sonic search aids, which they had taken back with them, he said.
CHN: China quake zone faces 'grim' health situation: official
The health situation in areas affected by China's earthquake is "extremely grim" as the peak summer period for disease outbreaks begins, a top official from worst-hit Sichuan province said today.

"Now is the peak season for disease outbreaks and the situation is extremely grim," Sichuan Vice Governor Li Chengyun told a Beijing press conference.

Li said provincial and national authorities were racing to head off any such outbreaks and that none had yet been reported.

However, he added that the risk remained great and that people in devastated areas badly needed tents and medical supplies, especially antibiotics.

Li added that the government's top priority was rescuing anyone still trapped under the rubble 11 days after the quake.

"On rescuing people, if there is the slightest possibility of saving a life, we will make a hundred-fold effort," Li said, repeating an earlier exhortation by Premier Wen Jiabao.

But he suggested that the province was gradually turning from that task to the immense challenge of feeding, sheltering and meeting the health needs of what he said were 5.47 million people left homeless.

The quake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, caused 5.46 million buildings to collapse in the province, he said.

Xinhua news agency had earlier reported that authorities in the province had sent in 180 special rodent-control specialists and set up 30 monitoring stations in worst-hit areas to ward off an infestation of rats and mice.

The quake has killed a confirmed 55,239 people in the province and left another 24,949, Li said.

Hundreds of deaths also have been reported in neighbouring provinces.

Meanwhile, a few foreigners have been quietly arriving in the nation, offering medical body recovery assistance as the health situation deteriorates.

They have brought medicines, tents, fresh water -- even sniffer dogs.

With Chinese officialdom refusing permission for other relief workers and agencies to enter the country, they have arrived in Sichuan's capital Chengdu almost surreptitiously.

Some have relied on the support and cooperation of Chinese embassies and, once they arrive, local people and organisations such as hotels have offered them discounted or even free services.

To help in the search for the dead, a three-man team from the Dutch organisation Signi Searchdogs de Rips arrived in Chengdu on May 17 with four dogs after taking vacation time to offer their expertise.

For almost a week, veterinarians Esther van Neerbos, Janette Kruit and Saad Atta, with their Labrador and three Belgian shepherds have been recovering bodies in some of the worst-hit areas, including Hanwang, which was almost totally flattened.

Van Neerbos told AFP their trip was only made possible with the help of China's embassy in Amsterdam and the Dutch embassy in Beijing.

"We have not been given official permission to be here, we have to work around that," she said.

Van Neerbos said that yesterday the dogs helped recover the remains of 11 people in the Hanwang administration building, a day after finding 22 bodies in what had been residences.

Hong Kong residents Hugh Chow and Gavin Neale arrived in Chengdu yesterday carrying 150 kilos of medicines and food from two non-profit groups, International Rescue Corps of Scotland and Hartech Rescue of Alberta, Canada, that were denied entry last week.

Neale said they were waved through Chengdu's airport by sympathetic immigration and customs officials even though they were travelling as tourists.

"We have been offering the medicine and tents to hospitals and medical groups, and we have hundreds of British and Canadian military rations that foreign doctors working out in the epicentre can make use of," Neale said.

The two organisations had brought to Hong Kong high-tech search equipment, including endoscopy and sonic search aids, which they had taken back with them, he said.