They said it is quite safe for people to visit and live in those areas of China where efforts are ongoing to tackle the disease -- known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The majority of cases of the disease appeared in February and March in South China's Guangdong Province but the rate has fallen since then.

China has taken a responsible attitude in handling SARS not only for the Chinese people but also foreigners in the country, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao yesterday.

"Foreigners are safe in China if they have taken proper preventive measures," Liu said, adding that China understands their fears about the epidemic.

Liu said China hopes its exchanges and co-operation with other countries can continue effectively.

The Chinese Government is making every effort to release information concerning the disease, he said.

A total of 53 new cases of atypical pneumonia were recorded between April 1 and 7 in Guangdong Province, representing an average of 7.57 cases each day, the provincial health department said yesterday.

Guangzhou, the provincial capital, reported 36 of the 53 new cases. This was 70.2 per cent fewer than in the same period last month, according to Huang Qingdao, director of Guangdong Provincial Health Bureau.

A Canadian-Chinese couple who contracted the disease recovered two weeks ago. They first developed symptoms of the disease while staying in Macao before returning to Guangzhou, Huang said.

He added that an American patient is now being treated in Shenzhen and his condition is improving.

Huang also pointed out that an epidemic situation like the Amoy Garden in Hong Kong has not occurred in Guangzhou.

To date, a total of 993 patients have recovered from the disease in Guangdong, accounting for 82.3 per cent of the total number infected -- 3.3 percentage points higher than at the end of last month.

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) have nearly finished a five-day field inspection in China and they said Guangzhou remained a safe place for business people and travellers.

"From my personal point of view, I don't really think having business and travelling activities here will be a big risk," said James Maguire, one of the five-member WHO team.

(Xinhua News Agency and China Daily April 9, 2003)