The World Health Organisation today lifted a warning against travel to Taiwan imposed because of the Sars epidemic, but said it was too soon to lift a similar advisory against Beijing.

WHO regional director for Western Pacific Shigeru Omi announced the move at a special news conference in Kuala Lumpur where more than 1,000 scientists, doctors and officials began a two-day conference on the Sars virus.

"The decision is based on the overall improving situation. The risk to travellers is now minimal," Omi said on the sidelines of the conference, which is seeking causes and cures for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

The world health body issued a warning on May 8 against non-essential travel to the capital Taipei, and extended it on May 21 to cover all of Taiwan after Sars outbreaks at several local hospitals sent the number of infections on the island surging.

Taiwan has recorded a total of 697 Sars cases and 83 deaths.

Tremendous improvement

Beijing is now the only location still subjected to a WHO Sars travel advisory, and Omi said there were no immediate plans to give the Chinese capital the all-clear despite a steep drop-off in new infections.

Omi said concerns remained over the number of active and untraceable Sars cases in China, and its overall public health system.

"The situation in Beijing is getting better but there are two issues that need to be overcome. The number of active cases is still large and there are some cases which we cannot trace," Omi said.

The conference in Kuala Lumpur has been organised by the WHO, which has led global efforts to control what it calls the first major international epidemic of the 21st century.

"The purpose of this meeting is to review the scientific findings on Sars and examine whether current control measures are effective or not," Omi said earlier.

"We will discuss whether Sars can be eradicated, see if there is an animal reservoir and see whether there is room for improvement of the current control measures."

"The global situation is getting better. We are monitoring four areas: Taiwan, Beijing, Hong Kong and Toronto. Only these areas remain, this is a tremendous improvement from the start of the outbreak."

But, he added: "Sars has not been defeated. We must be better prepared next time."

Much research needed to be done on the production of vaccines and anti-viral drugs and increasing the sensitivity of diagnostic tests, he said.

China's statistics 'reliable'

Sars has killed nearly 800 people and infected around 8,500 since it first emerged in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong in November last year.

Scientists have traced the illness to a new type of the coronavirus, which is from the family that causes the common cold, but a vaccine or cure for the illness is believed to be years away.

On the origins of the pneumonia-like disease, Omi said: "In regards to whether it is from animal or not, no confirmation has been made. We are collaborating with China to make a final decision."

He said the statistics reported by the Chinese government, which was accused of a cover-up in the early days of the outbreak, were "reliable".

"There is strong political commitment by the government," he said.

Geneva-based WHO technical officer Mark Salter said ahead of the conference that the WHO hoped that within a few months the Sars outbreak would be completely under control.

"We hope in the next few months we are in a position to say the box is now closed.

"What we need to ensure, though, is that the box is closed tight, but to do that we still need a lot more information about the virus, the disease and how the disease spreads among the population." - AFP