The epidemic investigation for SARS conducted by the medical authorities in Beijing was quick, accurate and efficiently saved time for the whole campaign to prevent and control the disease, said Liang Wannian, deputy director of the Beijing Health Bureau, on Tuesday.

The work efficiency was improved because the medical staff involved in the investigations had received professional training and direction from the experts, who had experience of dealing with SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), said Liang.

He Xiong, deputy director with Beijing's Center of Disease Control (BCDC), said the local People's Hospital reported a suspected fever patient on the afternoon of April 27 and investigation staff and medical experts arrived within two hours. Samples were obtained and sent to the BCDC lab late in the afternoon.

By the morning of April 22, over 180 close contacts of the patient were under medical observation and five of them who showed symptoms of fever received medical treatment and were put in isolation, he said.

The official said that all the data obtained in the investigations would be uploaded to the computer network of the disease control system in Beijing within six hours for medical research.

As of April 27, case investigation records of more than 600 contacts of SARS patients were uploaded to the network.

(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2004)