China's Tibet Autonomous Region Thursday donated one million yuan (about US$121,065) worth of Tibetan medicine to Beijing to support the city in its fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic.
It is the first time that the Tibet Autonomous Region has donated to the SARS-affected areas on the Chinese mainland. The autonomous region will also donate 500,000 yuan (about US$60,533) worth of medicine to Shanghai and Guangdong, respectively, in the near future.
The Tibet Autonomous Region is one of five provinces and autonomous regions which have remained untouched by the SARS. The other four are Hainan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Qinghai provinces.
In a letter to Beijing's medical staff, the Tibet Autonomous Regional government thanked them for their contribution to the fight against the epidemic, saying it was partly due to their efforts that Tibet has remained SARS-free.
Beijing has thus far received 450 million yuan (about US$54.5 million) in donations from various sectors, of which 50 million yuan (about US$6.1 million) has come from overseas, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs.
The number of SARS cases is falling steadily in Beijing now. According to the Chinese Ministry of Health, Beijing reported three new SARS cases for the period from 10:00 a.m. May 28 to 10:00 a.m. May 29, the lowest daily increase in new SARS cases.
(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2003)
