China's Ministry of Health has vowed to step up measures to protect public health during the Beijing Olympic Games in August.

Health Minister Chen Zhu said they will strengthen monitoring, emergency response and medical treatment for rabies, bird flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), as well as group poisonings

China claimed a medical breakthrough on Monday through the successful development of a human-use bird flu vaccine. It was developed by Sinovac Biotech and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sinovac has developed the world's first SARS vaccine, according to Xinhua Net

Concern over the death of a Chinese man in Jiangsu Province of avian flu prompted the Hong Kong government to put in place measures that will avert a health crisis brought about by disease outbreaks. On Thursday, the state's legislature will grant broad powers to the Health Minister to address health emergencies. Under the bill, the Health Minister is granted authority to seize any object suspected to be an infectious agent and to detain anyone believed to be disease carriers for isolation, quarantine or examination. He may also arrest people who flee from medical detention.

A 24-year-old man in the mainland died on Sunday from bird flu, although he has no known contact with dead or infected poultry. Hong Kong is initiating broad measures to prevent a repeat of the 2004 pandemic spread of the SARS ailment in the Special Administrative Region

In the event of a bird flu or SARS pandemic, handwashing and wearing masks, gloves and gowns are effective in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses than prescribing antiviral drugs, according to a new report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

The use of vaccines and antiviral drugs will also be insufficient to interrupt the spread of influenza, the report said

A new report issued on Thursday by the world's leading risk experts warns that the catastrophic impacts of a long-lasting pandemic are not only likely to happen, but overdue. The study also states the impact of a pandemic is likely to exceed what most corporate and governmental leaders have imagined, or are prepared for. This latest report comes on the heels of U.S. government reports issued earlier this month that reached similar findings.

The Marsh - Albright Group report has two primary focuses: social and economic. The social impact looks at the health and well-being of citizens, families, employees, customers and business partners. The economic impact includes a deeper understanding of the potential for disruption of operations and supply chains, as well as diminishing or fluxing demand for products and services