The health bureau of Beijing has asked all hospitals at level two or above in the city to monitor flu-like cases for two weeks in an attempt to keep down a possible epidemic of H7N9 as it gets colder, Beijing News reported on Tuesday.

All flu-likes cases coming to these hospitals and patients hospitalized for severe acute respiratory infections must be monitored for two weeks, the bureau said in its plan to combat H7N9 in the coming months.

A person is considered to have flu-like symptoms if his or her temperature exceeds 38 C with symptoms of a cough or a sore throat.

Children under 5 years old don't have to be running a fever before being monitored, the bureau said. They should be closely monitored if they show acute symptoms of coughing or difficulty breathing, or other signs such as refusing to eat, severe vomiting or sleepiness.