The Beijing municipal authorities have spent 1 billion yuan on
fighting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a senior Beijing
official said Saturday.
The latest statistics showed that the municipal and district
governments have spent more than 1.006 billion yuan (about US$122
million) on containing the SARS epidemic, said Cai Fuchao, the
city's publicity head at a press conference on SARS.
He
said the Beijing municipal government had worked out regulations on
the expenses for treatment of SARS patients at the initial stage of
the outbreak of SARS.
The department of civil affairs and other government departments
are responsible for funding the treatment of SARS patients who
enjoy low income insurance and who belong to other needy groups, he
said.
Farmers and migrant workers infected with SARS were charged no fees
in Beijing's hospitals, Cai said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2003)