The health authority of north China's Shanxi Province confirmed
Sunday that, as of Saturday, nine people had died of severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS).
As
of April 19, there were 112 registered SARS cases in the province.
Eleven of these have recovered and been discharged from
hospitals.
The province has set up a supervisory team led by senior officials
and two expert panels in charge of clinical treatment and the
prevention and control of SARS.
According to the health bureau of the province, the number of
hospitals designated to treat SARS cases has been increased from
three to seven, and all of the hospitals have moved quickly to
provide beds, buy the necessary equipment and organize staff for
service.
A
large-scale province-wide survey on the epidemic is being
undertaken to identify SARS patients or suspected cases. In
Taiyuan, the provincial capital, sterilization has been carried out
in 600 passenger trains entering and departing the city as well as
in 8,000 taxis operating within the city, health officials
said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2003)
