【答案解析】From Jan. 27 to March 16, HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) hit 16 provinces (municipalities, autonomous regions) of China, posing a big threat to people's properties and health. Confronted with the sudden outbreak of the disease, the Central Party Committee (CPC) and the State Council paid close attention to its prevention and control, made emergent arrangements, implemented the contingency plan and established the National HPAI Prevention and Control Headquarters. // Under the strong leadership of the CPC and the State Council, all government departments and localities acted in compliance with the principle of strong leadership, sound cooperation, reliance on science and laws, participatory approach and decisive intervention, and earnestly implemented various control measures, beating in mind the great responsibility for the people. //With the efforts for more than one month, HPAI has been brought under control. With the lifting of the cordons today in the infected areas in Nanning, Guangxi, and in Lhasa Tibet, all 49 cases of HPAI confirmed in the past in China have been stamped out. For the past 29 days, neither new HPAI cases nor cases of human infection have been reported. The fight against HPAI has achieved an initial success. // This is a hard-earned achievement. It is attributed to the strong leadership and resolute decision of the CPC and the State Council, to the close cooperation and joint efforts of various departments and localities, and to the unity and hard work of the people, especially those in the affected areas, and also to the selfless devotion and hard work of those involved in animal husbandry and health. // We should, however, aware that the situation is still grave for the disease prevention and control, In light of the spreading practice of the animal epidemics, we may suffer a relapse of HPAI unless preventive measures are intensified. // It is because: a) there are still water fowls that carry the virus; b) with the weather warming up in most parts of the north, migratory birds will fly northwards on a large scale, which may result in the spread of the pathogen; c) there will be more chances for the trans-regional spread of the disease as there will be more long distance transportation of poultry and substantial replenishment of birds in the poultry production ; d) the disease still exists in some countries or regions surrounding China, hence there is the risk of the disease spreading into China; // e) the tremendous difficulties encountered in the disease prevention and control have not been overcome at the root, since the poultry production is a large industry and is widely distributed over the country. Many places still suffer from very poor conditions for disease control. Therefore, there is a great possibility of HPAI coming again, and we should not slack off in its prevention and control. // (Excerpts from "China Has Achieved Initial Stage Success of HPAI Control", a speech made by Jia Youling, MOA Spokesman for HPAI Control on March 16,2004)