By April 15, a total of 1,435 SARS cases were reported on the mainland. Of these, 64 patients had died and 1,094 patients, or 76.4 percent of the reported patients, were cured and discharged from hospital.

The regional distribution of reported SARS cases, resultant deaths and patients discharged from hospital is as follows: Guangdong, 1,273 cases, 45 deaths, 1,063 discharged; Shanxi, 82 cases, seven deaths, seven discharged; Beijing, 37 cases, four deaths, eight discharged; Guangxi, 12 cases, three deaths, eight discharged; Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 17 cases, three deaths; Hunan, six cases, one death, five discharged; Sichuan, four cases, one death, three discharged; Fujian, three cases; Shanghai, one case.

The Health Ministry said the number of infected patients had increased since April 10 and patients in Shanxi rose by nearly 50 cases. The ministry attributed this to the newly amended diagnostic standards for SARS. The ministry meanwhile sent expert teams to treat the suspected patients. Cases increased due to final diagnoses.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2003)