The first severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patient taken by a hospital in Beijingon March 1 has recovered, Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong announced in Beijing Saturday.

The patient, 26, is a native of Shanxi Province in north China. She was doing garment business in Guangdong Province before coming to Beijing. Several members in her family had also been infected afterwards.

Up to now, the female patient and some of her family members have recovered and will leave the hospital, while her parents died of SARS due to advanced age.

The number of suspected SARS patients taken by local hospitals is decreasing and the epidemic situation in Beijing has been basically brought under control, Meng said in a meeting with Chinese and foreign participants of the Beijing International Highway Relay Race held here Saturday.

Hospitals in Beijing have taken active measures to treat confirmed SARS patients and opened special wards to separate suspected patients from others, Meng said.

None of the medical workers in the You'an Hospital, a major hospital for treating SARS patients in Beijing, has been found infected by the disease.

The municipal government set up a 2,500-memeber medical prevention and treatment contingent on April 10 to conduct epidemiological survey on suspected patients and those who contacted with them and publicize basic prevention methods, Meng said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2003)