The government today said it may have "seen the worst" of the Sars outbreak with no new probable cases reported in two weeks, and announced plans to set up a research laboratory to fight new diseases.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, o­n a visit to Sarawak, told reporters that the government would develop standard operating procedures and programs to tackle future diseases.

"The government has decided to set up a good laboratory facility to do quick investigations of what is the cause (of an illness), what is the medicine and what are the measures we have to take," he said.

"This is something we must be prepared to handle. In the future, there will be more such diseases, new diseases, new mutations."

In total control

His comments came as the health ministry declared in Kuala Lumpur that the worst of the Sars outbreak appeared to be over, with o­nly six probable cases after a 28-year-old woman was dropped from the list.

The woman fell ill after a trip to Singapore but the ministry's deputy director general Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said she was found to be suffering from another disease and did not have Sars.

The last probable case was a pilot who was hospitalised April 23.

"We are very happy with the situation. It seems to be under control... it looks like we have seen the worst of it," Ismail said.

"We are o­n top of it now."

Sars' impact o­n the nation's health has been more limited here than elsewhere -- with two deaths out of the six probable cases -- but it has taken a huge toll o­n businesses.

Ismail said Malaysia was also relieved by Singapore's announcement that it was now halfway to declaring its Sars outbreak under control as tens of thousands of Malaysians cross over to the republic daily to work.

"With the improvement in Singapore, chances are the situation in Malaysia will be just as good," he said.

Being vigilant

Singapore has seen 27 deaths out of 204 Sars cases, with none of the current patients believed to have contracted the disease before April 27.

Ismail however, warned the public against complacency as two new suspected cases were reported yesterday involving a 29-year-old man who had visited China and a 26-year-old Taiwanese who developed a fever here in Malaysia after a trip to Singapore.

"We always have to be vigilant and be o­n our guard. We must practice good personal hygiene... that has to go o­n until doomsday," he added.