China revises A/H1N1 quarantine policy

The Health Ministry says people in China who have had close contact with A/H1N1 flu patients will no longer be quarantined in specially reserved places. And patients with mild symptoms can receive treatment at home.

The ministry also revised its definition of close contact. It includes people who visited, worked or lived with a patient, and people who had contact with a patient's body fluids.

The ministry stressed it is not relaxing its quarantine policy, but simply changing the location of quarantine. Those have had close contact with a patient will be restricted from going outside and contacting other people. The ministry urged all regions to strengthen prevention and work for special groups including the old, the sick and the pregnant.