China's State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has ordered strict quarantine checks of passengers, planes, ships and containers from Indonesia to prevent dengue fever entering the country.

The World Health Organization says as many as 19,000 people had contracted the disease in Indonesia by March 1, and 336 had died.

Transmitted by mosquitoes, dengue fever is characterized by headaches, rashes, cramps and severe back and muscle pains. It usually lasts about two weeks after infection and can be fatal if treatment is delayed.

The administration circular urges relevant quarantine departments to strictly check the body temperatures of any passenger from Indonesia and take necessary measures if anyone is found to have fever, headaches, rashes, muscle pains and other typical symptoms.

The circular also requires passengers from Indonesia to voluntarily report to the Chinese quarantine departments if they have dengue fever symptoms and to seek immediate medical treatment.

The administration also urges quarantine workers to strictly check ships from Indonesia before they enter harbor, and kill any mosquito aboard with pesticide.

Moreover, planes and containers from Indonesia need to submit mosquito-free certificates, or the quarantine departments will disinfect their interiors, the administration said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2004)