China battles Sars virus

There is a growing sense of alarm in the Chinese capital

Beijing has sealed off another hospital and ordered 4,000 people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the pneumonia-like Sars virus.

It also announced it would spend more than $400m on a nationwide health network to tackle the virus, as mainland China's death toll rose to 115.

Asian health officials meeting in Malaysia have proposed strict pre-travel screening at borders, and travel bans on suspected Sars sufferers.

The World Health Organization has estimated the death rate from Sars may have risen to between 5 and 6%, up from its original estimate of 4%.

But other experts are suggesting the death rate could be higher, perhaps as much as double the WHO estimate. A study is set to be published looking in detail at how many will die.

More than 260 people have died from the virus worldwide, with Hong Kong's death toll also rising to 115 on Friday.

KNOWN DEATH TOLL

Mainland China: 115

Hong Kong: 115

Singapore: 19

Canada: 18

Vietnam: 5

Thailand: 2

Malaysia: 2

Philippines: 2

Source: WHO/ local health authorities

Map: Global overview

Timeline

Officials from a dozen Asian nations plus Canada - the only country outside Asia where people have died from Sars - are expected to release draft proposals on Saturday, for health ministers to discuss in a second day of talks in Kuala Lumpur.

The WHO on Friday refused to lift its warning that people should not visit Toronto, where 18 people have died.

Travel ban

In Beijing, a second major hospital treating more than 100 Sars patients has been sealed off.

A doctor inside Ditan Hospital, a major centre for the control of infectious diseases, told the BBC no-one was allowed to enter or leave the building. However, some medical staff were reported to have gone home.

A Beijing health official said a further 4,000 individuals believed to have had contact with suspected Sars sufferers had been ordered to stay at home under quarantine.

Taiwan has imposed a quarantine at a Taipei hospital

All migrant workers and students have been ordered to remain in Beijing, but train stations remained packed on Friday with people trying to leave.

Beijing authorities have denied rumours they were planning to introduce martial law.

Vice Premier Wu Yi said China would spend 3.5 billion yuan ($420m) setting up a nationwide health network to fight Sars and other medical emergencies.

Another 2 billion yuan ($240m) would be earmarked to pay for emergency care for Sars patients who could not afford to pay for treatment, she said.

The BBC's Holly Williams in Beijing says after months of knowing about the virus, suddenly the Chinese Government is taking Sars seriously.

But she says it is causing a growing sense of panic among the public, with people stockpiling rice, salt and cooking oil - forcing prices to rise sharply.

The panic over Sars appears more dangerous than Sars itself

Todd Whitley, US

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Q&A: What is Sars?

The Chinese health ministry on Friday announced five more deaths from Sars. Three were in Beijing, taking the capital's toll to 42.

The ministry also announced 180 new cases in eight provinces across China.

The Philippines recorded its first two deaths from the virus on Friday.

Taiwan has imposed a strict quarantine at a hospital in Taipei, with about 1,000 doctors, nurses and patients ordered to stay put for up to two weeks.

It has sparked anger among medical staff, with some of them reportedly refusing to treat patients suspected as having the virus.

The virus, which has no known cure, is believed to have emerged in China's southern Guangdong province last November.

Air India had to cancel five flights on Friday when pilots refused to fly with cabin crew who had been to Sars-affected countries in the last 10 days.

This came as the Dutch airline KLM and Japan Airlines both announced they were reducing the number of flights to China due to a drop in demand.