The figure, which included five new cases in Beijing, also a record low for the capital, represented a continued downward trend of the outbreak in the country.

However, the threat of the disease was still severe and local health departments could not relax, according to Gao Qiang, vice-minister of health.

Continued efforts should be made to enhance investigation and control of the floating population to avoid the epidemic recurring, GAO said Sunday.

Liu Qi, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) made a spot check on prevention work at some traffic hubs and long-distance bus stations in Beijing on Monday.

People coming to live and work in Beijing temporarily will have to undergo a thorough medical examination.

The Beijing Institute for Education and Examination announced a regulation on Monday, restricting the number of students in classrooms for upcoming college entrance examinations to 20.

No more than eight students would be allowed in quarantined classrooms.

Before each examination, the students will have to present a health certification and take a body temperature test.

The Beijing municipal government would provide special buses for students who live far from the examination places.

Railway departments across China has already asked passengers to fill in a health certificate before boarding trains.

Meanwhile, many domestic and overseas organizations and individuals have made enormous donations to help combat SARS.

The United Nations Children's Fund donated 15 special vehicles to China on Monday.

By May 25, private enterprises in east China's Zhejiang Province had donated cash and goods worth 50 million yuan (about US$6 million) for SARS control work.

The medical section of Peking University and China Central Educational Television Station jointly launched special training programs on SARS prevention on May 26, with a view to improving rural medical staff's ability in dealing with SARS.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2003)