The International Cooperation Department of the Chinese Ministry of
Railways has adopted measures allowing for the inspection and
strengthening of sanitation on Chinese trains traveling across
borders to other countries or regions to prevent the spread of
Severe Acute Aspiration Syndrome (SARS).
The ministry announced Wednesday that these preventive efforts will
cover all Chinese trains traveling across borders, trains to Hong
Kong and railway ports. Other measures will be taken to protect
foreign passengers and experts and railway staff.
The ministry also requires that all long-distance trains be manned
by professional medical workers or epidemic prevention staff.
The railway bureau in Chengdu, the capital city of southwest
China's Sichuan Province, has been assigning professional medical
workers to work on trains since Wednesday.
In
addition, to ensure that all SARS preventive measures are
implemented in all national bureaus, the ministry has set up three
inspection groups which left Beijing Tuesday on a national
inspection tour.
(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2003)
