Sars hunt moves north in China

China, which has confirmed three Sars cases in the south, is turning its attention to Beijing and the north in fighting the virus as tens of millions of people take to the road for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Of the three confirmed cases, all in southern Guangdong province, two have recovered and one is in stable condition in hospital.

"The coming period will be critical for China's prevention of the disease and more efforts are needed to closely monitor the epidemic situation," the Xinhua news agency quoted Vice Premier Wu Yi as saying, referring to the holiday.

Authorities would vet travellers in five provincial areas in north China, including Beijing, with a population of 14 million, and the neighbouring port of Tianjin, Wu said.

China's 1.3 billion people are expected to take about 1.89 billion rail, bus or plane trips during the 40-day peak travel period that began on January 7. The New Year begins on January 22.