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China threatens death in SARS battle; Taiwan fears
Beijing, May 15: China, haunted by the spread of SARS in its vast countryside, has threatened to execute or jail for life anyone who intentionally spreads the killer virus.
Beijing, May 15: China, haunted by the spread of SARS in its vast countryside, has threatened to execute or jail for life anyone who intentionally spreads the killer virus.
The news came as authorities in Taiwan quarantined hundreds at two major hospitals amid fears of a widespread epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome on the self-governing island.
China, which has reported 267 deaths and about two-thirds of the world`s 7,600 known SARS cases, issued a harsh interpretation of its laws on contagious disease after reports that people were violating quarantine orders or refusing to admit to the symptoms.
"Intentionally spreading sudden contagious disease pathogens, endangering public security or serious personal injury, death or heavy loss of public or private property will be punishable by from 10 years to life in prison or the death penalty," the official Xinhua news agency said.
Human rights groups said the punishment, which was laid down by the Supreme Court and the chief prosecutor, was harsh.
"The measure is too extreme and the punishment too heavy," Hong Kong-based rights activists Frank Lu said by telephone.
"It violates the international human rights covenant and was not approved by the National People`s Congress," Lu said, referring to China`s parliament.
Taiwan, with few cases of SARS until late April, now has 264 confirmed cases and 34 deaths -- the worst in the world after mainland China and Hong Kong.
Traffic has disappeared from Taipei`s usually bustling streets, department stores stand mostly empty, and hotels and restaurants have virtually no customers.
But the worst blow was the quarantining of about 400 patients and health workers at two major hospitals on Wednesday -- one in Taipei and another in the southern city of Kaohsiung -- after scores of people in them began showing symptoms.
None of them has confirmed SARS yet but it was feared that the number of cases could rise rapidly and perhaps spread to the wider community.
Bureau Report
The news came as authorities in Taiwan quarantined hundreds at two major hospitals amid fears of a widespread epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome on the self-governing island.
China, which has reported 267 deaths and about two-thirds of the world`s 7,600 known SARS cases, issued a harsh interpretation of its laws on contagious disease after reports that people were violating quarantine orders or refusing to admit to the symptoms.
"Intentionally spreading sudden contagious disease pathogens, endangering public security or serious personal injury, death or heavy loss of public or private property will be punishable by from 10 years to life in prison or the death penalty," the official Xinhua news agency said.
Human rights groups said the punishment, which was laid down by the Supreme Court and the chief prosecutor, was harsh.
"The measure is too extreme and the punishment too heavy," Hong Kong-based rights activists Frank Lu said by telephone.
"It violates the international human rights covenant and was not approved by the National People`s Congress," Lu said, referring to China`s parliament.
Taiwan, with few cases of SARS until late April, now has 264 confirmed cases and 34 deaths -- the worst in the world after mainland China and Hong Kong.
Traffic has disappeared from Taipei`s usually bustling streets, department stores stand mostly empty, and hotels and restaurants have virtually no customers.
But the worst blow was the quarantining of about 400 patients and health workers at two major hospitals on Wednesday -- one in Taipei and another in the southern city of Kaohsiung -- after scores of people in them began showing symptoms.
None of them has confirmed SARS yet but it was feared that the number of cases could rise rapidly and perhaps spread to the wider community.
Bureau Report