Taiwan sees record Sars rise

Taiwan saw another record rise in its number of new Sars cases yesterday as the pneumonia-like virus spread to an offshore island and two more hospitals had to be closed.

The president of China, where Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome first appeared late last year, vowed to work with the world to halt the spread of the virus as Chinese authorities reported the lowest number of Sars deaths in a 24-hour period in a month.

But there was bitter disappointment in Singapore which reported its first new case in 19 days, just as it was hoping to be declared free of Sars by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Taiwan, with the world's third-highest number of Sars deaths and infections after mainland China and Hong Kong, said the outlying Penghu islands had reported their first cases, stark evidence the virus was spreading.

A hospital on the Penghu islands, about 40 km west of Taiwan, was shut and more than 100 staff and patients were put in quarantine after a man and his wife, who visited a Sars-hit hospital on the main island, were found to have caught the virus.

"We only have two major hospitals. If what happened in Taiwan happens here, I don't know what we can do," said Penghu island resident Irene Kao.

On the main island, another hospital was closed, taking to four the number of hospitals there that have been shut or partially shut since the outbreak began.

Taiwan reported five more deaths and 36 new infections, its biggest one-day jump in new cases. Its death toll is 40 and its number of probable cases 344.

The SARS outbreak has hit Asian economies hard with a range of businesses such as restaurants, shopping centres and airlines reporting weeks of sharply lower business. But there have been signs of a recovery in spending in places where the outbreak is believed to be under control.

President Hu Jintao of China said in an interview his country was ready to work with the world to eliminate Sars.

"We are ready to further strengthen our cooperation with Russia and the whole international community in prevention and treatment of Sars," President Hu told Russia's Interfax news agency.

President Hu said he believed the disease could be beaten with more financing and better research and coordination efforts.

"Of course, in order to better control and eventually do away with this epidemic, we have to pass through a new stage of concerted effort and battle," he said.

"But we are convinced that Sars is a disease which can be prevented, controlled and even cured."

China, with almost two-thirds of the world's cases, reported two deaths, the lowest daily figure since April 20, when the government ordered honest reporting in the face of international criticism it was covering up the outbreak.

The number of new infections, which took China's total to 5,223 with 284 deaths, was the same as on Saturday, breaking a trend of declining numbers that had lasted more than a week.

The WHO, highly critical of China's reporting of cases until the government admitted a cover-up, suggested the numbers should still be viewed with some suspicion.

It said Beijing doctors were misdiagnosing patients with mild symptoms. But a health official dismissed the suggestion and said China would not change its criteria for diagnosing Sars.

The lower numbers have reduced substantially the panic that had gripped Beijing and newspapers said the city would start reopening schools after a one-month closure.

Singapore reported its first Sars case in 19 days, missing by just a day a WHO target of 20 days free of new cases to be deemed Sars-free.

A 39-year-old Malaysian man was diagnosed as Singapore's 206th case after coming down with fever on May 5 and being isolated in hospital since May 11, health officials said.

"I know many Singaporeans will be disappointed," Health Minister Lim Hng Kiang told reporters. "Singapore should take this in its stride."

Singapore has had 28 deaths - the world's fourth-highest toll - but it had looked forward to being declared Sars-free, which is crucial for bringing back tourists, whose S$10 billion ($5.8 billion) in annual spending is a key economic engine.

Hong Kong reported only three new cases but another four deaths. It was the 15th straight day of single-digit new cases.

The figures took Hong Kong's cases to 1,713 and its deaths to 247 and a health official said the outbreak could be deemed under control.