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Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from China's devastating earthquake rose by 1,278 to 41,353 as of noon on Wednesday, according to the Information Office of the State Council. Another 274,683 people were injured and there were still 32,666missing in the aftermath of the 8.0-magnitude quake that hit southwestern Sichuan Province on May 12. With the increasing number of deaths and the coming summer, the quake disaster regions are facing mounting pressure to prevent epidemics though no epidemic outbreak or serious mass health accident had been reported yet. Thousands of medical workers are on the scene. Medical teams with about 45,000 members were working in all quake-hit counties and townships in Sichuan as of Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health.
Among them there were more than 5,200 people in charge of epidemic prevention, and about 1,196 tonnes of disinfectants and bactericides were distributed, the ministry said in a statement. In seven out of the 11 worst-hit counties, sanitation work has been fully implemented and in the other four, one third of the townships have been covered. According to local health departments, doctors found 58 cases of gas gangrene, a bacterial infection that produces gas within gangrenous tissues, as of Sunday. But officials said the cases were not epidemic and will not affect people without open wounds. Meanwhile, rescuers are still fighting time to find survivors. According to the Department of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, rescuers saved and evacuated 396,811 people from the quake-hit areas to safe places as of Wednesday noon, about 36,000 more than the figure by Monday midnight. A total of 6,452 survivors have been dug out from the rubble since the rescue task started and 77 were rescued in the past 36 hours. The Ministry of Health said that 3,424 people injured in the quake had died in hospitals as of Wednesday noon. The hospitals have taken in 59,394 injured people since the quake. By noon on Wednesday, 30,289 people had recovered and been discharged while 25,681 were still being treated, the ministry said. Power had been restored in most parts of quake-hit areas but Beichuan County, one of the worst hit ones, remained blacked out and Hongyuan had seen its electricity cut off again due to aftershocks, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission said in a statement. Roads damaged in the quake totaled 28,829 kilometers, and 19,645 km had been repaired and reopened to traffic as of Wednesday.
Millions mourn China earthquake dead with air sirens wailing in grief BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Millions of people in China and overseas observed three minutes silence at 2:28 p.m. Monday to mourn thousands of people killed in an earthquake which hit the nation's southwest a week ago. Chinese President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao, and other top leaders including Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang also stood in silence in the central government compound of Zhongnanhai in Beijing. Full story China begins three-day mourning for quake victims
BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday began a three-day national mourning for the tens of thousands of people killed in a powerful earthquake which struck the country's southwest on May 12. At 4:58 a.m., the national flag at the Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing flew at half-mast after a complete flag-raising ceremony. Full story National flags at Chinese diplomatic missions fly at half-mast in mourning for quake victims BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese embassies and consulates in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other countries flew Chinese national flags at half-mast on Monday morning in mourning for victims in the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, China. Full story Magnitude of SW China earthquake revised to 8.0 BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The China Seismological Bureau (CSB) Sunday revised the magnitude of southwest China earthquake from 7.8 to 8.0 on the Richter scale. Full story Chinese President expresses gratitudes for foreign aid in quake relief CHENGDU, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Saturday night expressed gratitude to foreign countries and people who have offered aid since a major earthquake struck the country. Full story President Hu renews call to save lives in remote villages CHENGDU, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday urged rescue teams to reach remote villages that were battered by the strong earthquake in the southwestern Sichuan Province as soon as possible. Full story Chinese President encourages quake victims to overcome difficulties BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday went to Beichuan County of Mianyang City to visit people affected by the southwest China earthquake, encouraging them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster. Full story BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday underscored unremitting efforts in searching and rescuing people buried in debris in the earthquake in southwestern Sichuan Province. Full story
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