The People's Hospital of Peking University is being disinfected and its patients and more than 2,000 employees moved to one of six hospitals in Beijing designated to handle SARS.

China's Health Ministry says by eight o'clock on Wednesday evening, the Chinese mainland reported a total of 2,422 confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS cases.

125 new SARS cases, 1,278 suspected cases and four deaths had been reported on the Chinese mainland.

Altogether 110 SARS patients have died, while 1,254 have been discharged from hospital upon recovery.

In 24 hours, Beijing reported 89 new SARS cases and four deaths, and 8 recovered. Altogether SARS cases in Beijing reached 774, of them 64 had been discharged from hospital after recovery and 39 have died.

Four provinces, two autonomous regions and Tianjin also reported new SARS cases, of them Guangdong added 15, Inner Mongolia 11, Shanxi 5, Henan 2, Guangxi, Tianjin and Anhui each had one more SARS case.

Chinese Vice premier Wu Yi said at a national teleconference that the current national public health campaign should center on the prevention and treatment of the SARS epidemic.

She called on all people and institutions to improve indoor and outdoor sanitation so as to prevent the spread of the disease. Special attention should also be paid to SARS prevention work in western and central China and in rural areas.

Tourism-related enterprises across the country are taking measures to curb the spread of the SARS virus through tourist activities. Disinfection and ventilation measures have been further strengthened in lobbies, guest rooms and elevators in hotels across the country.

In the capital, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Liu Qi said the government has quarantined major areas infected with SARS in an effort to further protect the health of more citizens.

He said the move is aimed at cutting the channels through which the virus is spread. He also refuted the rumour that the capital will be closed.

Liu Qi called upon the public to get rid of unnecessary panic which is not helping to fight the disease. He said Beijing is confident it will win the battle against SARS, with the support of its residents being paramount in making daily life return to normal.

In China's northeastern city of Changchun, all public places such as video rooms and internet bars have been temporarily shut down to curb the spread of the SARS virus.

In Xi'an, provincial capital of Shaan'xi in Northwest China, daily sterilization has become compulsory on campuses. The local education department has ordered that in urgent circumstances, teachers and students may take leave.

In China's northern city of Shijiazhuang, the regional hub of north China's railway network, plans have been worked out to tackle emergencies when suspected SARS cases are found.

In the country's southern city of Shenzhen, the local government has set aside a special fund to help low income SARS patients get treatment.

Meanwhile officials from Hong Kong and Shenzhen have agreed to enhance co-operation in a bid to control the spread of SARS more effectively.

The two sides agreed that Shenzhen and Hong Kong will each install 15 infrared thermal imaging machines at both sides of Lo Wu control point from Saturday to screen incoming passengers.

Another 200 such machines will also be installed at immigration counters at all boundary control points. The installation is expected to be completed by the middle of next month.

A WHO expert team has arrived in Hong Kong to cooperate with the regional government in studying the environment in which SARS breaks out.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Government says the local government will spare no efforts and resources in controlling SARS.

(CRI April 25, 2003)