Beijing, June 23: The number of SARS patients reported in China's mainland fell below 100 for the first time in months, while the government prepared to lift a tourism ban on Tibet that was imposed to shield the region from the virus. The health ministry reported no new SARS fatalities or cases of infection. It yesterday said hard-hit Beijing – which accounts for more than half of China's death toll of 347 – had recorded no new cases in 11 days.
The announcements came amid sharply falling numbers of SARS cases and the gradual lifting of anti-disease measures that shut down schools and other public facilities in Beijing and curtailed travel. Beijing is still under a World Health Organization travel advisory, but the agency has lifted advisories on other regions of China.
The number of patients in China's hospitals with SARS fell to 97 yesterday, down from 123 the previous day, the ministry said. It said 66 of those cases were in Beijing. The figures were down sharply from the start of June, when the Chinese authorities reported 1,750 patients hospitalized with nearly 1,400 of them in Beijing. Numbers of new cases also have fallen since early May, when more than 150 were being reported daily.
Also yesterday, the Communist Party newspaper said the government will lift a ban on tourist travel to Tibet on July 1. Bureau Report