Asia reported 17 more Sars deaths today as Beijing officials were ordered to step up efforts to fight the virus and Hong Kong school pupils went back to class wearing surgical masks after a three-week shutdown.

Beijing’s new mayor has been fired after the Chinese capital announced a nearly tenfold increase in cases of the deadly Sars disease, boosting its total from 37 to 346.

GOVERNMENTS across East Asia were today considering tougher measures in their struggle to stop the SARS outbreak that has killed at least 205 people worldwide and infected more than 3,800 – most of them in Asia.

China reported a jump in deaths from the pneumonia-like Sars virus today, with a nearly tenfold increase of cases in Beijing revealed on Sunday.

China's Health Minister was sacked today as the extent of the SARS crisis was revealed.