Military

DATE=05/08/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= ASIA SARS (L)

NUMBER=2-302997

BYLINE=KATHERINE MARIA

DATELINE=HONG KONG

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The World Health Organization has advised travelers to avoid Taipei, due to the city's growing outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. And V-O-A's Katherine Maria reports, China's top leaders are admitting that SARS will cause problems for the country's economy.

TEXT: Taipei, Taiwan's capital, has joined the list of Asian destinations with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related health advisories.

The World Health Organization urged travelers to avoid the city, as cases of SARS continue to climb. /// OPT /// Island-wide, Taiwan reports more than 140 SARS victims, at least 15 of whom have died. /// END OPT ///

The U-N agency also extended a similar advisory to the mainland Chinese city of Tianjin and the province of Inner Mongolia. Such advisories often influence governments to issue similar warnings, and have a direct impact on tourism and business travel.

China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao was quoted in state-run media as saying the nation's SARS situation remains "grim." Top leaders are acknowledging that SARS will take an economic toll on the country.

After a Wednesday meeting with Cabinet members, Mr. Wen urged local governments to limit economic damage caused by SARS. His finance minister promised a fund for controlling the disease and financial relief to rural economies and hard-hit industries, according to state media.

Meanwhile, tourism has slowed to a trickle, and China's neighbors are trying to keep the disease out.

/// QIYUE ACT IN MANDARIN EST & FADE ///

Zhang Qiyue, a foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed that a number of countries have sealed their borders with China.

Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Nepal have all closed border checkpoints, and Russia is considering suspending air links.

China, /// OPT /// with almost 46-hundred cases and 224 deaths, /// END OPT /// is the country hardest hit by SARS.

China also pledged support to Hong Kong. /// OPT /// The territory has more than 16-hundred SARS cases and 208 deaths. /// END OPT ///

/// TANG ACT IN MANDARIN EST & FADE ///

Speaking at a ceremony in the mainland city Shenzhen, Tang Jianxuan, a communist party member, presented medical supplies to Hong Kong's leader Tung Chee-hwa.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong's health director, Margaret Chan, urged caution, despite a fall in the number of new infections in the city.

/// CHAN ACT ///

This is the fifth day that we have recorded single digits in terms of daily new cases. And this is a very encouraging trend. . It is at this moment that we have to maintain our vigilance.

/// END ACT ///

Worldwide, SARS has hit more than seven-thousand people and killed about 500. SARS victims suffer from a serious form of pneumonia. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/KM/MH/RAE/TW