The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the Sars outbreak has reached a climax in Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, but China is still struggling to cope.

The WHO warns if the virus is not contained in China then it may be impossible to stop its spread worldwide.

The Chinese government yesterday closed entertainment centres in an effort to contain the further spread of the virus. China confirmed yesterday eight more people had died from severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), taking the total number of deaths to 139.

Hong Kong has reported a drop in cases two days running. Twelve new deaths and 16 new infections were reported yesterday, the lowest since Sars records had been kept.

In the Philippines the number of Sars cases has been downgraded from 4 to 3 after one patient tested negative for the virus.

The good news in Vietnam is health officials are saying they have contained the outbreak. In total five people have died from the virus but there have been no new cases for 20 days.

Meanwhile Indonesia has reportedly suffered its first Sars death. The victim is a Taiwanese businessman who was being treated in a Jakarta hospital.

There have been a small number of suspected cases of Sars in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. But no-one is reported to have died in Europe from the virus.

The WHO has issued travel warnings for affected areas, which include China, and Toronto. It was expected Vietnam would today be eased from the list of countries affected by Sars.

A country has to have no reported cases of Sars for 20 days before WHO will lift travel warnings. The virus's incubation period is ten days.

Worldwide 319 people have died from Sars.

- China 139

- Hong Kong 133

- Singapore 22

- Canada 21

- Vietnam 5

- Thailand 2

- Malaysia 2

- Philippines 2

- Taiwan 1

April 28, 2003 15:30