1,190 cases of SARS reported on Chinese mainland

　　BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) reported on the Chinese mainland reached 1,190 and 46 of the patients died by the end of March, said Health Minister Zhang Wenkang Thursday.

　　Zhang said that while 210 remained hospitalized, the others had recovered and been discharged from hospital.

　　"I say to you here, as Minister of Health, that the epidemic has come under effective control. It is safe to work, tour or livein China," said Zhang at a press conference.

　　Of the total cases, Guangdong Province in the south reported 1,153, Beijing 12, Guangxi 11, Hunan seven, Shanxi four, and Sichuanthree.

　　Among the 934 patients who had recovered and been discharged from hospital, 911 were from Guangdong, one from Beijing, eight from Guangxi, seven from Hunan, four from Shanxi, and three from Sichuan.

　　Of the 46 who died of the disease, 40 were in Guangdong, three in Beijing, and three in Guangxi.

　　But Zhang said there was no evidence to say that the disease was spreading in Guangdong, citing 361 cases were reported in March, down 47.5 percent from February.

　　While treating patients, Chinese scientists have gained much experience in epidemiological research, clinical diagnosis, laboratory tests, and disinfection and quarantine work.

　　Zhang said that although Guangdong was the first place to report SARS, it did not mean the province had exported the diseaseto other areas. He cited the fact that although HIV and AIDS caseswere first reported in the United States, it did not mean that thefatal epidemic originated there.

　　"What's most imperative is to find out the exact cause, and global efforts should be made to define what it is and where it isdistributed, so as to bring it under effective control."

　　He said that the cause had not yet been identified, and it tooktime to accumulate and analyze data on the disease. But since mid-February, China had publicized relevant information on a monthly basis, and starting April 1, it had submitted report to the World Health Organization on a daily basis.

　　Zhang called for international cooperation on the disease, saying China was ready to share its experience and lessons with the world in curbing the disease.

　　"China is willing to integrate its own disease prevention network into the WHO's global networks of viral, epidemiological and clinical research," he said. Enditem

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