Beijing (Fides Service) - The entire society in China is fighting SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The World Health organisation defines SARS "the greatest challenge for humanity in the third millennium". SARS, the correct term rather than abnormal pneumonia, was the term used by Carlo Urbani, the Italian doctor working in Vietnam who died of the disease while treating sufferers.
"Sars us a tragedy for the people of China and for the whole world" Hu Jin Tao, China's new president told visiting American senator Bill Frister heading a US delegation. President George Bush has voiced solidarity with the people of China on the telephone with Hu Jin Tao, assuring him of help and support from the American people.
On April 27 the Chinese government decided to send 1,200 army doctors to help in civilian hospitals. Foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jian Chao said that the new prime minister Wen Jia Bao will attend the international meeting "China and Associations of South East Asian Countries Special meeting on SARS" in Bangkok, Thailand starting on April 29. Explaining the official motive for the participation the spokesman said it is "to promote regional collaboration and communication to fight SARS which is the best way to solve the problem".
In the meantime, since schools of all grades have been closed, the Beijing City Educaiton Committee has opened a school on line, to allow children and students to keep up with their lessons. Beijing districts put in quarantine are rising in number. District offices guarantee three meals a day to isolated persons. Despite guarantees and promises from the authorities, people are still very frightened.
Latest figures from the World Health Organisation (26 April) report 4,836 persons infected, 293 deaths. In Vietnam there have been no new cases reported for the past 18 days and so the WHO took it of the list of epidemic countries. This make Vietnam the first country to have won the battle against SARS. (Fides Service 28/4/2003 EM lines 28 Words 345)