India tackles Sars spread

Health workers fear India is particularly vulnerable

Health officials in India have ordered tough new measures to combat the pneumonia-like Sars virus.

Airports will now carry out compulsory screening of all those arriving off international flights.

All airport officials have been ordered to wear masks.

India has so far reported only five confirmed cases of Sars, but there is growing concern in the country.

Until last week, India had escaped the mystery virus first detected in Hong Kong last month.

It has claimed the lives of more than 250 people since.

There have now been about 4,000 probable cases around the globe, mainly in China, Hong Kong, Canada and Singapore, according to the World Health Organization.

India 'vulnerable'

Thursday's move by the Indian authorities came after Health Minister Sushma Swaraj chaired a meeting of health officials from across the country.

KNOWN DEATH TOLL

China: 110

Hong Kong: 109

Singapore: 19

Canada: 16

Vietnam: 5

Thailand: 2

Malaysia: 2

Philippines: 1

Source: WHO/ local health authorities

Map: Global overview

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"I am happy to note that all states are geared up and they are taking the disease with seriousness it deserves," she told reporters in Delhi.

She said a crisis management group had been set up to check the spread of the virus.

But officials stopped short of listing Sars as a notifiable disease as was widely expected.

That would have allowed the government to take special steps to screen and quarantine carriers and suspected carriers of the virus.

According to doctors, the absence of a proper disease detection system makes a country like India particularly vulnerable.

Correspondents say prevention is key in a country of more than one billion people, most of whom do not have access to quality health care.