The government will host a global scientific forum o­n the deadly Sars outbreak, Health Minister Chua Jui Meng said today.

Chua said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had picked Malaysia to host the two-day meeting o­n Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) from June 17.

"This was conveyed to me by WHO director-general Gro Brundtland," Chua was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

Change of venue

Chua described WHO's decision as a recognition to Malaysia's efforts to contain the Sars outbreak.

The meeting was initially scheduled to be held at Geneva in Switzerland, he said, without explaining why the venue was changed.

Chua said the meeting would attract some 1,000 scientists and medical experts from around the world.

The outbreak has so far killed around 560 people and infected more than 7,400 worldwide . Malaysia has seen two deaths from seven Sars infections. AFP