KUALA LUMPUR April 17 Kyodo (EDS:...

KUALA LUMPUR April 17 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDS OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION OF LIFTING)

Malaysia is lifting the visa restrictions imposed upon some SARS-affected countries equable as the number of probable SARS victims climbed to seven in the fatherland the country's acting prime minister said in a statement Thursday.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also abiding-place minister, said the restrictions are being lifted after consultations with the countries and regions most-affected through severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Earlier, quoting unnamed sources, the newspaper The Star and health officials had said the cabinet decided Thursday to lift visa restrictions imposed last week.

The decision was made after the cabinet was briefed forward the measures taken by dint of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and Canada to contain SARS. The six have reported the highest number of SARS victims.

The virus has killed more than 150 clan worldwide and infected more than 3200 In Malaysia, undivided person died after contracting SARS and six other probable cases were noted.

common person has since been discharged, unless five others are being confined to isolation wards at several state-run hospitals.

legate Health Director General Ismail Merican said all the victims had traveled to either China, Hong Kong or Singapore.

The seventh probable SARS victim is a 42-year-old barter driver who often went to Singapore, Ismail said.

The victim's last trip to Singapore was between April 2 and 8 He was admitted to hospital forward Monday.

Due to fear of cross-border virus transmission, the management imposed a ban April 9 forward visitors from China and Hong Kong by dint of freezing the issuance of visas.

Vietnamese and Canadian citizens, which previously did not ne a visa to register the country, were required to apply for a visa. They must be certified unrestrained of SARS symptoms such as high agitation cough, flu and breathing difficulties.

Meanwhile, Ismail said brace foreigners, one Australian and single in kind from Saudi Arabia, have been hospitalized in succession suspicion of having SARS. They were among 10 recently made known ''suspect'' cases reported since late Wednesday, bringing the total number of suspected victims still in hospital to 24

Health authorities merely classify a victim as ''probable'' after the ''suspected'' victim has shown clearer SARS symptoms after more detailed examinations.

The 28-year-old Australian man had flown to Singapore forward April 10 for a quick transit to an unspecified destination when he decided to detour to Malaysia's Pangkor Island opposite to northern Perak State.

From Singapore, Ismail said he took a train to Kuala Lumpur then boarded a bus to Lumut in Perak before taking a ferry from there to the island. He bloody sick while on the island and was hospitalized in Lumut upon Monday before being transferred to a bigger restraint hospital in Ipoh.

The Saudi Arabian, also 28 had traveled to China between April 1 and 14 Immediately after he came to Malaysia in succession Tuesday, he fell sick and was admitted to a state-run hospital in Kuala Lumpur

Ismail said the one and the other men were in stable condition and their chest X-rays appeared normal.

Besides these pair Malaysian hospitals also are treating a German for suspected SARS and an Indian national, horde member on a cruise ship, has been classified as a probable SARS victim.

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