Taiwan hit by rapid Sars spread

Taiwan has the world's fastest-growing Sars outbreak

Taiwan has reported 65 new probable cases of the deadly Sars virus - the island's biggest one-day jump.

Officials said eight more people had died from the flu-like virus, taking the death toll to 60.

The health department said the country had now identified 483 cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the third highest total behind China and Hong Kong.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has extended its travel warning about Taipei to cover the whole of Taiwan, and says the island now has the world's fastest-growing outbreak of Sars.

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

Meanwhile, Cambodia has reported a possible Sars case after a 16-year-old boy returned to Phnom Penh from studying in southern China, where the virus first emerged last November.

If confirmed, it would be Cambodia's first case of Sars.

In the Chinese capital Beijing, thousands of students have been returning to school, a month after the government shut them down in an attempt to stop the virus spreading.

Only high school students are going back, with thousands of junior and primary school pupils being told to stay at home for at least another two weeks.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, in Beijing, says that with key high school and university entrance exams only weeks away, there is intense pressure to get schools open again.

The number of new infections in the capital is falling rapidly. Health officials reported 12 new cases on Wednesday, far below the 150 a day that were being reported two weeks ago.

Hong Kong has also seen a decline in cases, but two more people have died, officials said on Wednesday - taking the death toll to 255.

Hospitals fined

In Taiwan, the Sars virus has spread from the capital to the south of the country.

A ninth hospital reported a suspected outbreak on Wednesday, and two hospitals were fined for covering up the spread of the disease.

The majority of Taiwan's infections have started in hospitals and more than 150 doctors and nurses have left their jobs in protest at the lack of safeguards to protect staff.

Many people are said to be frightened of visiting hospitals.

"I can't help but be terrified, especially when I go to the hospital and see all these people wearing masks and standing far away from one another," said magazine editor Judy Li, who developed a fever last week that turned out to be flu.

Taiwanese authorities reported that 74 people who contracted the virus have now recovered. But there are fears that the disease will be difficult to contain in areas lacking advanced medical facilities.

The virus has killed more than 600 people worldwide and infected more than 7,800 people - mostly in Asia. There is no known cure.

On Wednesday the Philippines was declared Sars-free after 20 days with no new cases detected. Two people died during the outbreak there.