The International Cooperation Department of the Chinese Ministry of Railways has adopted measures allowing for the inspection and strengthening of sanitation on Chinese trains traveling across borders to other countries or regions to prevent the spread of Severe Acute Aspiration Syndrome (SARS).
The ministry announced Wednesday that these preventive efforts will cover all Chinese trains traveling across borders, trains to Hong Kong and railway ports. Other measures will be taken to protect foreign passengers and experts and railway staff.
The ministry also requires that all long-distance trains be manned by professional medical workers or epidemic prevention staff.
The railway bureau in Chengdu, the capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province, has been assigning professional medical workers to work on trains since Wednesday.
In addition, to ensure that all SARS preventive measures are implemented in all national bureaus, the ministry has set up three inspection groups which left Beijing Tuesday on a national inspection tour.
(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2003)
