Beijing: In its latest move to fight the deadly SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus, China on April 24 sealed off a major hospital in the capital where four more people died of the disease and invoked emergency measures to quarantine the affected individuals and areas.

According to latest SARS statistics announced by China's Ministry of Health, the Chinese mainland reported a total of 2,422 confirmed cases of SARS while 209 people have died nationwide. The panic-stricken capital itself has registered 39 deaths.

Hong Kong also announced four more deaths and 30 new cases of SARS, taking the territory's toll to 109. Another 70 Hong Kong residents were placed under home quarantine as their observation confirmed one in five chance of infection with the mystery virus.

Malaysia ordered quarantine for 203 citizens, mostly low-waged earners, who had visited a SARS-infected produce market in Singapore and warned that it would jail those who would break the orders.

A day after World Health Organisation (WHO) added Beijing and Shanxi province to its list of places travellers should avoid, the Chinese authorities sealed off the 1,200-bed People's Hospital of Peking University because of multiple SARS infection preventing staff and patients from leaving the complex or allowing anybody to enter.

Canada has reacted angrily at Toronto's inclusion in the WHO list of advisory to travellers.

Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman said if it was safe to live in Toronto, it was safe to come here too.

PTI