Public health departments across China have been ordered to organize drills for rapid response in the case of a sudden outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS) disease, according to a source with the Ministry of Public Health on Thursday.

The program on SARS prevention and control in the public health sector, issued by the Ministry of Health recently, said that the drills will mainly examine efficiency of the unified command system, epidemic reporting system, SARS prevention and control system as well as emergency treatment system.

These drills must be completed before Sept. 30.

The Health Ministry vowed that it will send a team of experts to the province where possible SARS case is reported within 24 hours.

The document also required the provinces to set up SARS expert teams, composed of experts in respiratory diseases, epidemics and infectious diseases, to decide upon the first SARS case within the provinces.

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