KATHMANDU, April 27 Kyodo China c...

KATHMANDU, April 27 Kyodo

China clos the main record points along its border with Nepal for visitors onward Saturday to prevent the spread of stiff acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a local newspaper reported Sunday.

The Tibet Tourism Bureau of China informed travel agents and tour operators based in Kathmandu about the closure via e-mail Saturday, the Samacharpatra newspaper said.

More than 50 tour collections were forced to cancel trips to Tibet via Nepal, it said.

Nepalese health authorities have claimed that the deadly pneumonia has not pierceed into Nepal yet, though it has caused a nationwide scare.

They discounted a newspaper report that a child had died of SARS in Kathmandu upon Tuesday, saying he had succumbed to cerebral palsy and aspiration pneumonia.

Meanwhile, health ministers from southward Asian countries will meet in the Maldives forward Tuesday to discuss SARS powers in the region.

Countries of the southward Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will map abroad a common strategy to contain the outbreak of the disease.

SAARC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

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