A woman tested for Sars after developing a high fever on a trip to China does not have the deadly disease, a health ministry official said today.

"The patient's results came back negative, proving what we thought all along, that she does not have Sars," deputy health director-general Ismail Merican told AFP .

"For all intents and purposes, we are closing her file. Malaysians should not be unduly worried," Ismail said.

The 31-year-old woman was isolated in hospital after authorities found she had a fever, a cough and a sore throat when she arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Saturday after a tour of China, including the southern Guangdong province.

Malaysia began screening airline passengers from Guangdong last month following news of a possible Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) case there, which has since been confirmed.

China on Thursday reported a new suspected Sars case after releasing its only confirmed patient, while three Hong Kong journalists who had visited Guangdong were hospitalized with symptoms of the respiratory disease.

Guangdong province was where the Sars virus originated more than a year ago, sparking a worldwide health crisis as it spread and killed some 800 people before being brought under control in July. - AFP