The SARS epidemic was experienced across Chinese mainland in three stages, according to Gao Qiang, vice minister of health, who addressed a press conference in Beijing Friday.

At the beginning of this year, some of the provinces in China were hit by SARS. From January to March, the epidemic was concentrated in Guangdong Province. By the end of March, the cumulative number of clinically confirmed cases was 1,190, among which 1,153 cases, or 97 percent were in Guangdong.

In April, the epidemic spread to other provinces and was particularly serious in Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Tianjin. By the end of April, the cumulative number of confirmed cases was 3,460, among which 3,368 cases, or 97.3 percent were from the five provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in north China and Guangdong Province.

In May, the epidemic leveled off and new cases started to decline. In early May, the daily average of new cases was 151; 45 and 14 by mid and late May, separately, showing that SARS started to be effectively controlled.

A total of 5,325 confirmed cases were reported by May 29, among which 5,153, or 96.8 percent were from Guangdong, Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Tianjin. A total of 3,121 patients, or 58.6 percent recovered and were discharged from hospital. There were 327 deaths and the mortality rate was 6.1 percent. Currently 1,877 SARS patients are still receiving treatment in hospitals.

(China.org.cn May 30, 2003)