Public health departments across China have been ordered to organize drills for rapid response in the case of a sudden outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS) disease, according to a source with the Ministry of Public Health on Thursday.

The program on SARS prevention and control in the public health sector, issued by the Ministry of Health recently, said that the drills will mainly examine efficiency of the unified command system, epidemic reporting system, SARS prevention and control system as well as emergency treatment system.

These drills must be completed before Sept. 30.
(People's Daily   Aug 29, 2003)