Beijing reservoirs closed
Tuesday, May 6, 2003 Posted: 1:58 AM EDT (0558 GMT)



?World Health Organization

HONG KONG, China -- Riots have broken out in eastern China over the quarantine of suspected SARS cases, in one of the most violent protests to hit China since the outbreak became headline news.

Police say about 1,000 angry villagers marched on local government offices in Xiandie in the coastal Zhejiang province, where about eight residents with high high fevers were quarantined after returning from SARS-infected areas.

The crowd demanded the patients be moved away from the poorly-equipped buildings, situated in a residential area. They beat officials, ransacked the offices and overturned cars, wire agencies reported.

"They are furious because they don't want the sick people so close to their homes," an official at the police station who gave her surname as Zhuang, told Reuters news agency.

As public anxiety mounts over SARS, Chinese are worried fleeing migrant workers will spread the disease to the vast and poor hinterland, where health care systems are no match for the virus.

Last week, protesters in a village east of Beijing ransacked a school, smashing windows and furniture after hearing the building was to be used as a SARS ward.

Already the battle to contain SARS is having political repercussions, with state-run media reporting that several officials in northern Hebei Province were removed for not properly handing a case.

China is bearing the brunt of the SARS virus, which has already killed 206 people and sickened more than 4,200 in the country. On Monday officials reported 160 new SARS cases and nine deaths.

Beijing was the worst-hit area, with 98 new infections reported, followed by Shanxi Province in the north.

In a bid to stop SARS, officials have imposed increasingly strict measures, including slapping a quarantine on 16,000 people and closing public entertainment venues in the capital Beijing.

In the latest move, police barricaded access to around 80 reservoirs supplying Beijing amid fears the virus could enter the city's water supply.

Officials say that such a risk is slim, but for the time being no swimming, fishing or any other activity will be allowed near the reservoirs.

Elsewhere in Asia, however, signs are hopeful that efforts to contain SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, may be gaining ground.


Beijing hospitals are being stretched to the limit by the spread of SARS.
In Hong Kong, authorities said Monday there had been three deaths and eight new infections and announced they were setting up a health research group to fight and prevent infectious diseases.

Just a few weeks ago, the daily infection tally in the territory was in the 80s, with the death rate peaking at a daily total of 12.

Singapore meanwhile reported its first case in three days and said a 27-year-old man died from the respiratory illness, bringing its death toll from the virus to 27, the world's third highest.

With scientists working around the clock in the hunt for a cure for SARS, the World Health Organization said researchers had discovered the virus could be more resilient than first thought.

According to the new findings, the virus can survive for several days in human waste. (WHO sheds new light)

SARS is thought to have originated in southern China in November last year and the country remains the focus of the disease.

In other developments:

?Taiwan -- where the number of SARS infections has more than tripled in 10 days -- has reported two new deaths, bringing the island's total death toll to 10 with the number of infections standing at 116.

?One of China's top film stars, Gong Li, is reportedly being lined up for the lead in a drama about a nurse's battle against SARS. The Associated Press, quoting the Beijing Times newspaper, said the actress acclaimed for her performance in "Raise the Red Lantern" and other movies was in discussions about taking on the role.

?Hospital officials in Beijing say scores of medical workers are leaving their jobs at designated SARS hospitals as the number of cases soars.