China's Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesman said in Beijing Thursday that one suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) case was reported in Beijing.

The patient, now hospitalized in isolation in Beijing's Ditan Hospital, has received two examinations by a medical expert team of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The patient surnamed Li, a 20-year-old female, is a nurse in Beijing's Jiangong Hospital, the spokesman said.

Beijing has geared up the early warning system for SARS, organized an epidemiological investigation and disinfected the living and working places of the patient.

Some 171 people who had close contact with the patient have received medical observation and five who developed fever have been isolated for further observation.

The MOH has reported the case to the World Health Organization, and informed Hong Kong and Macao health authorities about the matter.

The patient reported symptoms of fever, cough and shivering on April 5 and was hospitalized in Jiangong Hospital on April 7.

She was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Renmin Hospital attached to the Beijing University on April 14.

On April 19, two relatives who accompanied the patient in hospital reported fever so the hospital immediately geared up the early warning system for SARS.

A medical examination of the hospital showed that the patient was IgG positive on April 21.

In the morning of April 22, an examination by the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) showed the patient was IgG and IgM positive, both strong evidence of a suspect SARS case.

In accordance with the program on SARS prevention for medical systems nationwide, the Beijing Health Bureau then reported the case to MOH on April 22.

China's national CDC tested the patient and also obtained the result of IgG and IgM positive. The MOH expert team then determined the patient a suspect SARS case.

The MOH has instructed health departments nationwide to enhance surveillance and carry out supervision on influenza and pneumonia for early discovery, reporting, isolation and treatment of SARS.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2004)