The death toll from the powerful earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province has risen to 28,881 nationwide as of 2 p.m. Saturday, with 198,347 people injured.

As of 8 p.m. on Friday, 116,460 injured people have been hospitalized, with 12,858 people in critical conditions.
China's Health Ministry says so far, no case of epidemics or emergent public health incidents has been reported in the quake-hit areas.

Guo Weimin, director of the Information Office of the State Council, introduced the latest development of the relief work at a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

"The focus of our work will gradually shift to rural areas impacted by Monday's quake."

Guo said special police forces and medical teams have been carrying out relief work and rescue operations in 58 spots in 10 quake-affected townships by Friday.

Wei Chao'an, Deputy Minister of China's Agriculture Ministry, said agriculture production in the quake-hit region has been greatly damaged.

"This strong earthquake has brought great loss to Sichuan's agricultural industry. Up till now, about 33 hectares of crops have been destroyed, nearly 13 million livestock and poultry have been killed, and over 8,000 tons of fish have died or disappeared. Many agricultural infrastructures have been smashed. Meanwhile, labor forces in Sichuan's agricultural industry have also largely deteriorated."

Although this earthquake has brought great loss to the agricultural development of Sichuan and its neighboring regions, Wei said national agricultural industry will not be largely affected. Wen Chao'an said the country is confident in guaranteeing national food supplies and maintaining stable prices for agricultural products.