Su Juxiang, secretary-general of the Red Cross Society of China, sent a letter to the Red Cross organization of Taiwan early Friday, briefing the latter about the suspect SARS case in Beijing and a case viral pneumonia in east China's Anhui Province.

A 20-year-old female nurse showed symptoms of fever, cough and purulent phlegm on April 5 in Beijing's Jiangong Hospital, and she was hospitalized on April 7. She was transferred to the Renmin Hospital attached to the Beijing University on April 14. On April 22, medical experts determined the patient a suspect SARS case, according to the letter.

A 26-year-old woman from Anhui Province studied in Beijing from March 7 to 22. She traveled by train between Beijing and Anhui from the end of March to early April. On March 29, she went to see the doctor in Beijing's Jiangong Hospital and was hospitalized for pneumonia. On April 2, she returned to Anhui. The patient is diagnosed to have viral pneumonia but the cause of the disease is unknown.

The two patients have been isolated and preventive measures have been taken in the two places, the letter said.

The briefing of the cases is aimed at strengthening information exchange about the situation and prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, the letter said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2004)