The transport authority of Guangzhou plans to make it mandatory for public buses to be sterilized at least once a week, reports Guangzhou-based New Express News.

The move aims to prevent infectious diseases from spreading in the city which has a large transient population.

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, has more than 5,000 public buses and trolley buses, handling between 3 million and 4 million passengers a day.

But the poor sanitary environment in the buses has raised concern among local residents and tourists.

(China Daily June 28, 2002)