Taiwan health chief quits over rapid Sars spread

Taiwan's health minister resigned yesterday to take the blame for a string of Sars outbreaks at three major hospitals, three weeks after his counterpart in China was sacked after an alarming surge in the number of cases there.

As the political and economic impact of the virus spread across Asia and beyond, there was good news in Singapore where a cluster of suspected cases turned out to be influenza.

Hong Kong, the place worst-hit by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome after mainland China, reported its lowest number of infections in a 24-hour period since the outbreak began, with only three new cases but also four more deaths.

Taiwan reported another death and 10 new probable cases of the virus. With 274 infections and 35 deaths, Taiwan has the third-highest number of Sars victims behind China and Hong Kong.

"I feel that my supervision was inadequate," Taiwan's minister of health, Twu Shiing-jer, told parliament after tendering his resignation.

The straight-talking Twu said he was partly responsible for a chain of Sars infections at the island's most reputable hospitals this week and for a shortage of protective masks.

A cabinet spokesman said prominent epidemiologist, Chen Chien-jen, the head of the health department's Sars advisory committee, would take over as minister.

Sars has killed 610 people and infected more than 7,700 since first appearing in southern China late last year.

Travellers spread it to Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada and beyond.

Taiwan had only a few isolated cases until late April. Many people blame a poorly managed case at a Taipei hospital for the severe outbreak it is now suffering.

The army dispatched 1,200 soldiers to disinfect Taipei city, Taiwan's hardest-hit area. Residents smiled and waved from windows as trucks drove by with masked soldiers, clad in white plastic suits, spraying disinfectant.

Sars has also taken a toll on Taiwan's economy, as it has on economies across the region, hammering consumer spending and leaving shops, restaurants and airports empty.