Premier Wen Jiabao (second from right) talks with patients at Beijing Children's Hospital in Beijing, on October 31 (XINHUA)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday called for tightened prevention measures against A/H1N1 influenza as the country recorded an increasing number of people catching seasonal influenza upon the arrival of winter.

In a visit to a children's hospital in the Chinese capital, Wen said the country faces severe challenges in the prevention and control of A/H1N1 and some areas are likely to have a sharp increase in the number of patients infected by the epidemic.

He said the country is fully confident and capable of doing well the prevention and control work of the A/H1N1 flu and would spare no effort in helping patients, especially those with severe symptoms, to recover.

Doctors would reassure patients that A/H1N1 flu can be prevented, controlled, and cured, he said.

Wen required intensified efforts to spread the knowledge concerning prevention and control of A/H1N1 flu and asked medical authorities to beef up prevention measures in schools and urban communities.

He also urged to mobilize residents to inoculate A/H1N1 flu vaccines on a volunteer basis and called on vaccine producers to speed up their production.

Medical staff should be careful and avoid infection when treating patients, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2009)