China's transport authorities are beefing up their efforts to prevent the spread of SARS on buses, ships, trains, planes and in public buses and train stations, as well as airports.

The huge numbers of passengers involved make it a difficult task. Statistics from the transport departments show that every day more than 40 million people take buses and ships, over three million take trains, and approximately 200,000 people travel on planes.

As these passenger terminals and vehicles have became a major risk in the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Railways and the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China have all set up SARS monitoring groups and made national arrangements for disease prevention and control.

The transportation departments have also stepped up SARS education among their employees.

The Ministry of Communications required all employees working on buses or in ships or at the bus stations or ports to be well informed about SARS and possible preventive measures, so that suspected cases can be spotted and treated as early as possible.

A total of 17,000 charts and pictures about SARS have been distributed in railway stations, especially in rural stations. All railway directors are urged to undertake the task of inspecting trains and promptly reporting SARS cases, said the Ministry of Railways.

Transportation departments also urged local transport sectors to continue normal services in case some local authorities have suspended services to infected areas without permission.

The departments have also made arrangements to ensure the transportation of all goods, medical and disease prevention equipment and facilities to the SARS-hit areas.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2003)