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The World Health Organization has decided to remove Beijing from its list of SARS-infected areas and lift its travel advisory against the city, a WHO official announced in Beijing Tuesday.
The decision took effect immediately, Shigeru Omi, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, said at a press conference jointly held by WHO and China's Ministry of Health.
Beijing had recorded 2,521 cumulative cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and 191 deaths by Monday, and reported no new SARS cases for consecutive 13 days.
Chinese Vice Minister of Health Gao Qiang told the press that life in China has returned to normal and it is now safe to travel to any place in the country.
WHO's decision to lift the travel advisory on Beijing and remove Beijing off its list of locally transmitting area of SARS marks the thorough lifting of travel advisory to any province or municipality on the Chinese mainland, Gao said.
He stressed that the WHO decision indicates that China's efforts in fighting SARS have achieved a significant victory, and the victory has not come easy.
(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2003)
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