Wang said at a press conference the joint efforts of the whole society for epidemic prevention and control is the key to victory in the battle.

The government has called on schools, communities, towns, villages and grass-root social organizations to take measures for curbing the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

In urban areas, all communities have been organized so they canmake timely report on the local SARS situation to authorities concerned and keep an eye on the development of the situation of their neighbors.

In rural areas, each home has been offered a thermometer and farmers are required to take their temperature everyday.

In colleges and universities, classes will continue during the May Day festival and teachers and students will stay on campus, while workers at construction sites who are mostly from rural areas in the other parts of the country are told not to go home, as a measure to cut off the channels for virus spread, Wang said.

Strict quarantine inspections have been enforced on passengers in and out the city, and those found to be running a fever or have other symptoms will be sent to designated hospitals and fellow passengers aboard the same plane or other vehicles will be traced down or put under clinical observation.

Wang said the people in Beijing are sparing no effort to ensure the supply of water, coal, electricity and cooking gas.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2003)