Beijing: Faced with criticism that it mishandled Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, China on April 26 sacked its Health Minister while other East Asian countries decided to enforce strict screening measures at all airports and other exit points to prevent the killer pneumonia-like disease from travelling.

Health Minister Zhang Wenkang, who was stripped of his Communist Party post last weekend after widespread criticism of the handling of the situation, resigned as seven more people died of the disease and 154 new cases were reported, taking the nationwide death toll to 122. Six of the deaths were in the capital Beijing.

Vice Premier Wu Yi took over the charge of the Health Ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

Hong Kong reported six more deaths and 17 new cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, bringing the total number of deaths there to 121. One death was reported from Singapore, bringing the toll to 20.

In Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, Health Ministers from ASEAN countries and key partners China, Japan and South Korea decided to prevent SARS suspects from going to other countries by taking up screening steps at all airports and other exit points.

They agreed to call for relevant authorities at airports, seaports, river ports and land entry points to collaborate with health care workers to undertake stringent pre-departure screening of passengers for international travel.

PTI