Four more deaths in HK, China fights allegations

China, accused by the WHO of under-reporting SARS cases in Beijing, dug in its heels on Thursday, refusing to revise its toll and insisting ...

China, accused by the WHO of under-reporting SARS cases in Beijing, dug in its heels on Thursday, refusing to revise its toll and insisting it is dealing responsibly.

But there was more evidence not all cases in China were being reported to the WHO and a fresh report the disease was spreading. The government declared one infection in the remote western region of Ningxia, but a doctor there said there were eight.

Hong Kong, the second most affected area after mainland China, said the virus had killed four more people and infected 29 others, while Australia reported its first three probable cases and India confirmed its first infection.

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Meanwhile, nine residents of a housing estate in Hong Kong have contracted SARS, sparking fears of a repeat of the outbreak that ravaged another high-rise apartment complex in recent weeks.

Authorities believe the spread of SARS in Koway Court in Hong Kong was started by a resident who sold fast-food near Amoy Gardens housing estate, where more than 320 people were infected.

‘‘We hope it will not spread any further, but we never know,’’ Leung Yiu-Hong, a district councillor looking into the Koway outbreak, said.

Asian leaders will meet in Bangkok on April 29 to hammer out ways of tackling the virus that has struck a blow to their economies.

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“The Chinese government still has all along handled relevant problems with a scientific attitude, a responsible attitude, including understanding the outbreak, evaluating the outbreak and reporting,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. “Up to this point, everyone knows, there are 37 clearly diagnosed cases,” said CDC deputy general director He Xiong.

Australian authorities reported three probable SARS cases — children visiting from Canada — in what could be the country’s first cases.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Richard Smallwood said the children had recovered and the disease has not spread. The three children, aged 18 months, three years and six years came earlier this month to visit relatives. (Reuters)