In light of an outbreak of swine flu in Mexico, China's Ministry of Health issued a notice Sunday about disease prevention and detection, warning citizens to be careful.

The notice defines the symptoms of the disease and how it can be transmitted to humans.

Although there is no vaccine yet, the disease is preventable, controllable and treatable, it said.

As of Monday morning, no cases of the illness had been reported in China.

The ministry said so far, there is no evidence that this flu could be spread through food.

It also warned those who travel abroad to be alert for any signs of infection.

Swine influenza A/H1N1 is a respiratory disease that infects pigs and does not normally infect humans. But sporadic cases do occur, usually for people who have had close contact with pigs.

It has killed more than 60 people out of about 1,000 suspected cases in Mexico.

China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) issued an emergency notice Saturday requiring people to report flu-like symptoms at the point of entry when returning from affected regions.

According to the Health Ministry, the ministry is working with the Ministry of Agriculture and GAQSIQ to monitor the disease.

The ministry has contacted scientists who have done viral sequencing on swine flu. It has also stepped up cooperation with the World Health Organization and the U.S. and Mexican governments to obtain updated epidemic information and prepare for a possible outbreak.

China should establish an effective disease prevention and control system in the entry-exit inspection and quarantine process, the ministry added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2009)