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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a pandemic due to a new virus. As thousands are affected and hudreds die all over the world, we must contain the disease.

The official SARS figures for 26 April, 2003 in Malaysia were 2 deaths, 4 probable cases, 281 isolated notified cases, 34 isolated on wards and 446 cases quarantined at home. According to the Asian Wall Street Journal accumulated figures yesterday, there were 5,025 cases of SARS and 318 deaths in the world.

The Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng had his field day during the Asean+3 meeting of health ministers against SARS last week, stressing the need for international cooperation. Then, he shows his unhappiness on the media reports on SARS. We hope that he improves the system of information on the disease, so that he can encourage the media to report the truth.

Meanwhile, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto are taking severe measures against the new coronavirus in the midst of conflicting reports. More than 50 pupils in a primary school in Johor and a hospital in Kuching have been quarantined. All people should cooperate. There should be penalties against those who break the quarantine.

Then, yesterday the Deputy Director-General of Health Datuk Ismail Merican challenged the Selangor State Exco on health Datuk Tang See hang to produce evidence on the latter's statement about a probable SARS case in the state. So, the state should do so.

Hitherto, there is no vaccine or cure on SARS. We contain the disease. For successful containment, we need accurate and up-to-date information. A good information system goes a long way towards this. Together we shall overcome.

 Dr Tan Seng Giaw