BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Friday urged government authorities to take effective measures to contain the spread of the H7N9 avian flu.

Xi said local authorities should prioritize public safety and health, as well as strengthen disease control and prevention, according to a statement released by the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Areas that have experienced human H7N9 infections should prioritize treating patients and make every effort to reduce deaths from the disease, Xi said.

At present, human infections have been found in six provincial-level regions in China, including Beijing and Shanghai municipalities and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan.

Xi also called for efforts to conduct epidemiological studies of the disease, strictly control infection sources, promote public awareness of disease prevention and accelerate the development of vaccines.

The country will boost checks of live poultry and poultry products to ensure food safety, he said.

The government should also release accurate information about the disease to maintain order, Xi said.

Eighty-eight human infections have been reported in China so far, resulting in 17 deaths, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.