SARS shuts down Beijing hospital

A major Beijing hospital was shut down today because of Sars, a day after UN health chiefs warned against travel to the Chinese capital and Toronto.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has infected more than 4,200 people worldwide and killed at least 253.

As efforts to contain the deadly virus intensified, Singapore was today refurbishing a camp for drug offenders to hold anyone who violates quarantine orders.

In Beijing, the People’s Hospital of Peking University was disinfected and its patients and more than 2,000 staff were being closely watched for possible symptoms, officials said.

The patients were moved to other hospitals designated to treat Sars cases.

The hospital closed a day after Chinese health officials raised the city’s Sars death toll to 35 and said it has nearly 700 cases of infection.

Nationwide, China has reported 106 deaths and more than 2,300 sick people.