Health authorities in

Taiwan said a SARS-infected man is in a stable condition and no further cases of the disease have been reported in Taiwan.

A spokesman from the Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital said the 44-year-old military laboratory researcher has shown no signs of fever since Thursday morning.

 

The patient, who contracted SARS through a lab experiment earlier this month, developed a fever after returning from a trip to Singapore on December 10.

 

Singapore said most of the 75 people quarantined after coming into contact with the Taiwan man will be released shortly.

 

Hong Kong health authorities said they are also monitoring a man who traveled on the same plane as the SARS patient.

 

Meanwhile in Beijing, Chinese health authorities have issued emergency measures to prevent the spread of SARS to China.

 

The Ministry of Health also urged all laboratories nationwide doing research on SARS to strictly adhere to safety procedures.

 

Hong Kong patients, colds not SARS

 

The Hong Kong Health Department confirmed that seven female patients who developed fever in a local hospital haven't come down with SARS.

 

They now have temperatures below 38 degrees Celsius, although still with sore throats and upper respiratory problems.

 

On the recent SARS case in Taiwan, the Hong Kong Health Department confirmed that there were no permanent Hong Kong residents on board the flight which carried the Taiwan SARS patient.

 

The authorities stressed that they will remain vigilant against SARS.

 

(People's Daily December 21, 2003)