(May 14, 1952)


This document (2) is very good and should be circulated to all localities.
Mao Zedong
May 14
[I]
This is a note by Mao Zedong commenting on a report submitted on May 12, 1952, by Zhou Enlai, Chairman of the Central Epidemic Prevention Committee, and He Cheng, Director of its Office.
[2]
Refers to the report by Zhou Enlai and He Cheng. The report stated:
(1) In North Korea, the main problem remains plague; in Northeast China, encephalitis is still the primary concern. Although cases of both plague and encephalitis continue to occur, they have not yet developed into epidemics, indicating that the preventive measures have been effective. However, as the hot summer season has not yet arrived and the enemy is still expanding the area over which insects are being scattered, it remains necessary to assume that infectious diseases could break out at any time. We must avoid excessive optimism or complacency. (2) A mass public health and epidemic prevention campaign is ongoing, with the main tasks being rodent control, insect extermination, and improvement of environmental sanitation. Vaccinations have already been administered among the Chinese People’s Volunteers and throughout the country. (3) In April, the focus of research was on encephalitis in Northeast China, while the priority for publicity efforts was the preparation of an exhibition documenting the U.S. imperialists’ bacterial warfare crimes. (4) At the April meeting of directors of the offices of the epidemic prevention committees of the major administrative regions and the Chinese People’s Volunteers, decisions were made on the following matters: to continue this year’s epidemic prevention work until after autumn; to clearly define the specific targets of prevention in different regions; to strengthen research on epidemic prevention; to ensure thorough preparations for the exhibition; to establish additional epidemic prevention teams and increase the number of hospital beds dedicated to epidemic control; and to set up public health and disinfection stations.