Health authorities in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Monday launched a city-wide campaign to test major wildlife species, such as civet cats and snakes, for SARS-related viruses.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads the campaign, which follows an urgent circular from the regional forestry bureau demanding management of civet cats in Guangxi, which neighbors Guangdong Province, where the first confirmed SARS case and two suspected cases this winter have been found.

Experts from the University of Hong Kong detected a SARS-related coronavirus in civet cats and other wildlife collected from the markets in Guangzhou and Shenzhen cities of Guangdong Province.

Forestry organizations across Guangxi have inspected all centers for the rearing and trading of wildlife, and registered all civet cats and badgers, whether dead or alive.

The eating of wild animals has been banned in Guangxi.

The Chinese Forestry Bureau lifted a ban on eating 54 species of animal in late August, including civet cats, as the SARS outbreak abated.

The forestry authority in Guangxi has also temporarily suspended all permits for hunting, trafficking, trading and use of wildlife, and banned any procuring, sale and slaughter of wildlife.

The public were told to report violations.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2004)