THE SARS crisis surged in Taiwan with eight new fatalities and a record jump in infections yesterday, as the World Health Organisation visited a poor and medically backward Chinese province that could be fertile ground for a future epidemic.

The number of SARS cases in China passed 5,000 today as Taiwan recorded a record jump in infections and a hospital boss was fired for allegedly covering up an outbreak.

The SARS crisis escalated sharply in Taiwan today with eight new deaths and a record jump in infections.