China will launch a nationwide epidemiological investigation of A/H1N1 influenza next year in a bid to provide more scientific data for further prevention and control measures.

According to a circular released by the Ministry of Health Wednesday, the research will be focused on 12 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions including Beijing, Shandong and Henan. A total of 54,000 people -- 4,500 for each province -- will be surveyed.

The research will be carried out in three time periods: next January, from March to April and from August to September.

Experts with the ministry said that currently a large number of patients only have slight flu symptoms and many potential infection cases exist, which means the official number of flu cases can no longer reflect the actual epidemic situation in the country.

According to the experts, the country is in urgent need of understanding the infection level in different age groups in different time periods in order to map out further prevention and control plan.

Also, a serum epidemiological investigation will be launched next year across the country, sampling 400 people for each of the 31 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

In addition, the ministry urges related organizations to strengthen the prevention and control of the disease around the New Year holiday when migrant workers and students -- the most vulnerable groups -- tend to travel home in large numbers.

Educational departments are required to strengthen the education of epidemic prevention among students ahead of the holidays and take good care of those who stay in school.

Also, the ministry urges government organizations at all levels to ensure the stock of drugs and medical equipment and report any flu-related emergency as soon as possible.

明年中国将在全国范围内发起对甲型H1N1流感的流行病学调查，以便能够为以后的防控措施提供更多的科学数据。

根据周三中国卫生部的通报，该调查主要集中在12个省、直辖市和自治区，其中包括北京、山东和河南。总计有54000人将会接受调查，平均每个省4500人。

该调查将按照三个时间段进行：明年的一月份，三月到四月，八月到九月。

卫生部的专家说目前有大量的病人只是有轻微的流感症状，而且有很多潜在的感染病例，这些就意味着官方的流感病例数目不能够确切地反映中国国内流感的流行情况。

据专家所说，中国迫切需要弄清在不同的时间段不同的年龄人群中感染程度，以便能够制定出进一步的防控计划。

而且，明年在全国范围能还会发起血清流行病学调查。在31个省、直辖市和自治区中，每个省份会抽测400人，包括新疆生产建设兵团。

此外，卫生部迫切要求相关组织在春节来临之际加强疾病的防控，因为在春节的时候，民工和学生总是大量的返家，而他们是最容易感染甲流的人群。

教育部则被要求需要在春节前加强对学生的传染病预防知识的教育，并且要照顾好那些在假期留校的学生。

此外卫生部强烈要求各级政府组织确保药物和医疗器械的储备，要尽可能早上报甲流疫情。