Beijing: Amid mounting international criticism that it was under-reporting cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic, Chinese President Hu Jintao has ordered officials at all levels to come clean and warned them against cover-up even as emergency meeting of the ruling communist party promised cooperation in curbing the spread of the deadly disease.

Hu warned government departments and health authorities to "accurately report on the epidemic ... and keep the public informed," a media report said.

Admitting that "the fight against the disease is a difficult one and will take a long time", Hu demanded that there be no cover-ups and that officials should not "withhold any information and delay its release."

Meanwhile, the meeting of the all-powerful standing committee of the Political Bureau held on April 17 under General Secretary Hu "explicitly warned against the covering up of SARS cases and demanded the accurate, timely and honest reporting of SARS situation," Xinhua news agency quoted a decision taken at the meet.

The meeting took place a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) criticised Beijing for not reporting all cases of the SARS virus which has so far killed at least 66 people and infected over 1,450 in China.

The WHO (World Health Organisation) said on April 16 that Beijing city may have five times the official tally of 37 infections and four deaths.

PTI