MANILA, Sept. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- The World Health Organization (WHO)Western Pacific Office has urged countries in the region to step up communicable disease surveillance to ensure early detection of any outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) or other diseases.

　　The office called for strong political leadership and the provision of adequate resources should SARS re-emerge. The patterns of transmission during the SARS outbreaks earlier this year also showed that infection control practices in healthcare settings were inadequate in many countries, it said in a press statement released on Thursday.

　　Dr. Shigeru Omi, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific,urged Member States to be "vigilant by maintaining enhanced surveillance, infection control practices and other preparedness activities."

　　The Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, WHO's governing body in the region, noted that while the WHO regional office's response to the outbreak had been effective, a system was needed that would enable the health body to verify all information on public health events of potential international concern.

　　The committee is currently meeting in Manila to review WHO's work in the region, including the health body's response to the SARS outbreak. WHO said earlier that this year's outbreak in the region highlighted the lack of preparedness in most countries.

　　More than 8,000 SARS cases and over 800 deaths in nearly 30 countries were reported between February and July this year when the disease was brought under control. Over 95 percent of these cases occurred in the Western Pacific Region. Enditem