Strengthening Prevention and Control of Imported Infectious Diseases: Three Departments Issue Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Key Infectious Diseases Before and During the Spring Festival Holiday

Release Date:

2026-02-08

BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) — By reporter Xu Penghang: On February 7, the Comprehensive Department of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the General Office of the National Health Commission, and the Comprehensive Department of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine jointly issued a notice outlining measures to prevent and control key infectious diseases during the period surrounding the 2026 Spring Festival holiday and throughout the spring season. The notice calls on relevant authorities at all levels to implement and refine all prevention and control policies and measures, ensuring overall stability in the national epidemic situation and safeguarding the health and well-being of the public during the holiday.

During the Spring Festival holiday, cross-border and interregional travel, as well as dining and social gatherings, are expected to increase significantly, potentially further elevating the risk of COVID‑19 transmission and spread. The notice calls for strengthened prevention and control of imported infectious diseases, close monitoring of the global epidemiological situation regarding COVID‑19, monkeypox, dengue fever, chikungunya, malaria, novel influenza subtypes in humans, Nipah virus disease, and other emerging threats, and proactive preparation for preventive measures. Enhanced epidemiological investigations should be conducted on cases of newly emerging or sudden‑onset infectious diseases among inbound travelers to identify sources of infection, while rigorous contact tracing, screening, and management of close contacts must be implemented to prevent the spread of these outbreaks.

The notice specifies that relevant departments shall guide childcare and early‑education institutions and schools to ensure proper sanitation of teaching and living environments and drinking water prior to the start of the semester; advise elderly care facilities and social welfare institutions to strengthen routine preventive measures and health monitoring; instruct transportation hubs and cultural and tourism venues to implement passenger flow management, clean and disinfect enclosed spaces, and ensure adequate ventilation; and guide catering establishments and seafood retailers to enhance food hygiene and safety management.

In addition, we will continue to encourage high-risk groups—including children, the elderly, and patients with chronic diseases—to proactively receive influenza vaccinations, while further improving vaccination services. We will strengthen catch-up immunization in areas with weak routine immunization systems, and implement targeted emergency vaccination campaigns in regions experiencing measles outbreaks. Furthermore, we will enhance integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine approaches to patient care, expand the availability of diagnostic and treatment services for key infectious diseases, and ensure that the public’s needs for medical care and medication during the Spring Festival holiday are met.

According to reports, the overall infectious disease situation in China remains stable. COVID‑19 continues to circulate at low levels, influenza has declined to moderate or low levels in most regions, and acute respiratory infections are generally on the decline, though they remain prevalent during the peak season. Mosquito‑borne diseases are currently outside their epidemic season; however, the risk of imported cases—such as dengue fever, chikungunya, and malaria—persists, with the potential for imported cases or locally transmitted sporadic cases driven by overwintering mosquitoes in southern areas where temperatures remain relatively high. Enteric infections, primarily caused by norovirus, pose a risk of clustered outbreaks in food service establishments, as well as in primary and secondary schools and childcare facilities following the winter vacation. Emerging infectious diseases, including monkeypox and novel subtypes of human influenza, are occurring sporadically and at low incidence; therefore, heightened vigilance is required to prevent the importation of overseas cases and to mitigate the risk of transmission within specific populations.

[Editor-in-charge: Liu Ziya]

Source: Xinhua Net

Tags:

The journal Qiushi has published an important article by General Secretary Xi Jinping titled “Key Tasks in Current Economic Work.”

Study Planning Advice: Daily Q&A | Why Implement a Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Initiative?

More information

The National Agricultural Technology Center has issued guidelines on “one spray, three protections” for wheat to address the heightened risk of recurrent outbreaks of Fusarium head blight, stripe rust, and aphids.

2026-04-10

The petrochemical and chemical industries comprise more than 27,000 large-scale production enterprises—efforts to upgrade and retrofit aging facilities are being further intensified.

2026-04-06

In 2026, corn borer, cotton bollworm, and ear rot—among other corn pests and diseases—are expected to occur at a relatively severe level. The National Agricultural Technology Center has issued a control plan!

2026-04-02