The Press Office under the Ministry of Health published Tuesday afternoon a press release on the latest SARS situation on the Chinese mainland.

From 10:00 am June 23 to 10:00 am June 24, the Chinese mainland reported no new diagnosed or suspected SARS case, 6 patients recovered and discharged from hospital (3 each from Beijing and Shanxi), and no death.

Now 59 diagnosed patients are receiving treatment in hospitals on the Chinese mainland, including 43 from Beijing, 5 from Tianjin, 3 each from Liaoning and Guangdong, 2 from Inner Mongolia, and 1 each from Shanxi, Shanghai and Sichuan.

The Chinese mainland reported 11 suspected cases, including 8 from Inner Mongolia, 2 from Guangdong, and 1 from Liaoning.

By 10:00 am June 24, the Chinese mainland had reported a total of 5,326 diagnosed SARS cases (including 1,002 medical workers). Among these patients, 4,901 had recovered and discharged from hospital, accounting for 92 percent, and 347 died, accounting for 6.5 percent.

The World Health Organization announced Tuesday afternoon the removal of Beijing from its list of SARS-infected areas and lifting of its travel advisory against the city. Up to date, no province or municipality on the Chinese mainland is on the WHO list of locally transmitting area of SARS and subject to WHO's travel advisory.

Starting tomorrow, the Ministry of Health press release on SARS situation will be published through media and on the ministry's website only, instead of through televised press briefing.

(China.org.cn June 24, 2003)