China will launch a nationwide epidemiological investigation of A/H1N1 influenza next year in a bid to provide more scientific data for further prevention and control measures.

    According to a circular released by the Ministry of Health Wednesday, the research will be focused on 12 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions including Beijing, Shandong and Henan. A total of 54,000 people -- 4,500 for each province -- will be surveyed.

    The research will be carried out in three time periods: next January, from March to April and from August to September.

    Experts with the ministry said that currently a large number of patients only have slight flu symptoms and many potential infection cases exist, which means the official number of flu cases can no longer reflect the actual epidemic situation in the country.

    According to the experts, the country is in urgent need of understanding the infection level in different age groups in different time periods in order to map out further prevention and control plan.

    Also, a serum epidemiological investigation will be launched next year across the country, sampling 400 people for each of the 31 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

    In addition, the ministry urges related organizations to strengthen the prevention and control of the disease around the New Year holiday when migrant workers and students -- the most vulnerable groups -- tend to travel home in large numbers.

    Educational departments are required to strengthen the education of epidemic prevention among students ahead of the holidays and take good care of those who stay in school.

    Also, the ministry urges government organizations at all levels to ensure the stock of drugs and medical equipment and report any flu-related emergency as soon as possible.

    明年中國將在全國范圍內發起對甲型H1N1流感的流行病學調查，以便能夠為以后的防控措施提供更多的科學數據。

    根據周三中國衛生部的通報，該調查主要集中在12個省、直轄市和自治區，其中包括北京、山東和河南。總計有54000人將會接受調查，平均每個省4500人。

    該調查將按照三個時間段進行：明年的一月份，三月到四月，八月到九月。

    衛生部的專家說目前有大量的病人只是有輕微的流感癥狀，而且有很多潛在的感染病例，這些就意味著官方的流感病例數目不能夠確切地反映中國國內流感的流行情況。

    據專家所說，中國迫切需要弄清在不同的時間段不同的年齡人群中感染程度，以便能夠制定出進一步的防控計劃。

    而且，明年在全國范圍能還會發起血清流行病學調查。在31個省、直轄市和自治區中，每個省份會抽測400人，包括新疆生產建設兵團。

    此外，衛生部迫切要求相關組織在春節來臨之際加強疾病的防控，因為在春節的時候，民工和學生總是大量的返家，而他們是最容易感染甲流的人群。

    教育部則被要求需要在春節前加強對學生的傳染病預防知識的教育，并且要照顧好那些在假期留校的學生。

    此外衛生部強烈要求各級政府組織確保藥物和醫療器械的儲備，要盡可能早上報甲流疫情。