New Delhi: With blood samples of the American tourist testing negative for the typical killer pneumonia, government said on April 9 that India was still free from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which has so far claimed 106 lives and infected nearly 2,600 people worldwide.

"As of now there is no SARS case in India. Clinical condition of Rebecca Raleigh, the American tourist who is undergoing treatment in hospital in Mumbai is improving," Director General of Health Services Dr S P Agarwal said.

The tests conducted by the National Institute of Virology, Pune are negative for the class of viruses SARS belongs to. Raleigh's two contacts have been isolated at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. They do not have any symptoms of the disease.

Agarwal, however, said in case of SARS, 30 per cent of patients who tested negative could have the virus.

He said good personal hygiene and better lifestyle, which includes cessation of smoking, and a good diet may help providing immunity against the virus.

PTI