Sars epidemic 'has peaked'

China reported no new Sars cases for the second day running

The Sars outbreak has peaked in countries around the world - including China, the worst hit by the pneumonia-like disease, a World Health Organization official has said.

"It's fair to say that the Sars epidemic is over its peak. We can see it globally and we can also see it in China," WHO representative in China Henk Bekedam told a briefing.

His comments came after no new cases of the virus - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - were reported in China for the second consecutive day on Thursday.

SARS WORLDWIDE

Known death tolls:

World: 812

Mainland China: 348

Hong Kong: 298

Taiwan: 84

Singapore: 32

Canada: 38

Source: WHO/local authorities

Global update

However, the authorities in mainland China said two more people died of Sars, bringing the number of deaths there to 336.

In Hong Kong, officials reported one new fatality.

Mr Bekedam described as "a very good news" the latest data on Sars from around the world.

But he urged health officials to remain vigilant against the disease, pointing to a recent second Sars outbreak in Canada, the only country outside Asia to suffer Sars deaths.

Vigilance

"I think the challenge now is to eliminate Sars as a public health threat," Mr Bekedam said.

How Sars spread across the world

In maps

He said the outbreak in Toronto - Canada's largest city - showed that another epidemic could be sparked with "just one missed diagnosis".

On Wednesday, Canadian health officials - who had earlier admitted that the second outbreak may have spread because of a wrong diagnosis - reported three more probable Sars cases.

Sars has been blamed for 32 deaths in Canada - all in Toronto area - but officials have said there were indications that the new outbreak may be tapering off.