Beijing opened another hotline on atypical pneumonia Wednesday to provide information in English following the opening of one in Chinese on Tuesday.

The English hotline, 010-64212486, and the Chinese one, 010-64274209, aim to help both domestic and overseas people know more about the disease, said He Xiong, vice-director of the Beijing Disease Control Center.


The center had been receiving over two hundred calls every day on atypical pneumonia, making it necessary to set up 24-hour consultation hotlines, He Xiong said.


The hotline offering English service is manned by staff with a good command of English and medical knowledge, as well as special training on atypical pneumonia.


The hotline provides information on how the disease spreads, prevention methods and how to react to symptoms similar to those of atypical pneumonia.


The Beijing Disease Control Center has also set up six emergency work teams to provide 24-hour medical service.