Despite marked progress in Beijing's effort to control the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, the task ahead remains arduous and complicated, Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday while inspecting the capital's SARS prevention work.

He urged officials at various levels to make preparations both psychologically and practically, and be determined to win the battle against the deadly disease by strengthening prevention work.

While visiting Xiaotangshan hospital, Wen highlighted the reliance on science and called for solidarity between the army and citizens during the ongoing battle.

The hospital, in the town of Xiaotangshan in the northern outskirts of Beijing, is part of the massive effort to fight SARS.

The second phase of the hospital's construction was finished in seven days by more than 7,000 people working around clock. It was home to 324 SARS patients by Monday.

Wen said medical workers should protect themselves from the disease and spare no effort during their shifts.

Wen has also visited the village in the Xiaotangshan Town and discussed with local farmers on how to prevent and treat SARS.

Monday, he urged officials at all levels to be fully aware of the extreme importance of SARS control and to treat it as a priority.

Any breach of duty and malpractice will be harshly punished.

Wen said no SARS cases should be missed and it was important to prevent further infections at the hospital.

He said treatment for severe SARS patients should be enhanced and the country's top hospitals should be leading the fight against the virus, specifically treating infected patients.

Meanwhile, workers are toiling 24-hours a day to transform the Chinese-Japan Friendship Hospital, a former comprehensive hospital, into a hospital specializing in infectious diseases.

The biggest part of the plan is the addition of two more intensive care unit floors with about 40 beds each, which are being added to the original single floor.

The Beijing municipal government plans to centralize the treatment of serious SARS patients in the capital to the hospital.

The units require special medical equipment, such as electrocardiogram monitors and respirators.

Chen Ling, a senior engineer at the hospital, said it had already ordered about 400 respirators, 50 electric suction apparatus and 50 electrocardiogram monitors.

"We don't know when the equipment will arrive,'' Chen said.

"But as long as the equipment is here, we will work to set it up.''

Her team is also responsible for showing the clinical doctors and nurses how to operate the new equipment. Many of them are not familiar with the latest models.

According to design standards for specialized infectious-disease hospitals, two isolation doors -- about 20 meters from each other -- are being installed on each floor between the passageways that separate the medical workers from patients.

The medical workers live in the eastern part of the building, while the wards are in the western part of the complex. Special isolation walls have been built to detach the areas.

In each ward, ventilation fans and air conditioners have been installed.

It is estimated that the transformation project will be completed by tomorrow, when all wards will be checked.

Since Wednesday, experts like Zhao Tonggang, director of the disinfection department at Ditan Hospital, have been invited to conduct training classes and lecturers on dealing with SARS.

Also, to counter the widespread panic over the virus, some psychologists have been asked to provide consultations for medical workers.

All of the staff had completed their professional training for the disease by Sunday.

(China Daily May 6, 2003)