The health authority of north China's Shanxi Province confirmed Sunday that, as of Saturday, nine people had died of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
As of April 19, there were 112 registered SARS cases in the province. Eleven of these have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.
The province has set up a supervisory team led by senior officials and two expert panels in charge of clinical treatment and the prevention and control of SARS.
According to the health bureau of the province, the number of hospitals designated to treat SARS cases has been increased from three to seven, and all of the hospitals have moved quickly to provide beds, buy the necessary equipment and organize staff for service.
A large-scale province-wide survey on the epidemic is being undertaken to identify SARS patients or suspected cases. In Taiyuan, the provincial capital, sterilization has been carried out in 600 passenger trains entering and departing the city as well as in 8,000 taxis operating within the city, health officials said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2003)
