Chinese ministry denies concealing SARS figures

Chinese health officials have denied claims that cases of the deadly SARS virus, are being concealed.

Chinese health officials have denied claims that cases of the deadly SARS virus, are being concealed.

They say many people with symptoms of the deadly pneumonia had been put in isolation but there have been few recent confirmed incidents.

But reports and rumours of SARS cases continue to surface in Beijing, prompting one school to send children home and taxi companies to order drivers to fumigate their cars.

The Health Ministry said two more people had died by April 9th, taking the national toll to 55. It announced 10 more infections, taking the total to 1,290.

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Health Vice-Minister Mr Ma Xiaowei, asked about the accusations at a news conference, insisted Beijing's SARS figures covered all "confirmed" cases at military and civilian hospitals.

He said a number of suspected victims would soon be given a clean bill of health and the Health Ministry said most of the 1,025 SARS patients had recovered and been discharged.

In Guangdong, the southern province where the disease is most prevalent, doctors had success repelling SARS in its early stages with corticosteroids, the director of the Guangzhou Respiratory Disease Institute, Dr Zhong Nanshan, told the news conference.