China’s National Health Commission (NHC) immediately gained information about casualties and local health system conditions from the health departments in Southwest China’s Sichuan province after a magnitude-5.7 earthquake struck the province’s Wenxing county, Yibin city, on Dec 16.

NHC deployed health emergency experts and three national health emergency medical teams in Sichuan province and Chongqing city on a standby basis.

Six ambulances and 51 medical workers have already gone to the site, and two interim medical centers as well as six epidemic monitoring spots have been set up under the guidance of health authorities at different levels in the province to provide locals with medical service, disinfection and drinking water inspection.

West China Hospital, the Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital and the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were appointed by the Health Commission of Sichuan Province to respond to emergency health situations.

As of Dec 17, 17 locals slightly injured in the earthquake were sent to hospitals. Eight were released and the other nine remain in hospital in stable condition.