Beijing: An Indian citizen is among the suspected foreign patients of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in the Chinese capital Beijing, where over a 100 people have died due to the killer disease, a senior official said.

"So far there are three suspected SARS cases among foreigners in Beijing," director of the publicity department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Cai Fuchao, told reporters at a special briefing on the latest situation on SARS outbreak.

"Two cases have been ruled out after further diagnoses were made, and one person from India is now receiving medical treatment," Cai said.

Cai said four foreigners, belonging to the US, Canada, Australia and Kyrgystan, and one patient each from Hong Kong and Taiwan have been discharged from hospitals in Beijing upon recovery.

"So far, there is a patient from the United States still in hospital for medical treatment and his condition is stable," he said.

Cai said the prevention and treatment of SARS cases among foreigners in Beijing have been a "very important task" on the Municipal government's work agenda and thanked the overseas community here for their "active support and co-operation" to fight the disease.

The first case of SARS among rural farmers in the outlying areas of the city had also been reported, Cai said, adding nine farmers in suburban Beijing were confirmed to be SARS patients. As of May 5, Beijing had 1,897 confirmed SARS cases, Cai said.

PTI