South China's Guangdong Province has earmarked 130 million yuan (15.7 million US dollars) to hospitals designated to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS) to purchase ambulances for SARS patients.

The investment will mainly go to 158 hospitals in underdeveloped areas.

The provincial departments in charge of health and financial affairs have jointly issued a circular, requiring each of the hospitals above county level to have at least one ambulance with effective protection equipment.

Most of the vehicles used in the last SARS outbreak in Guangdong were ordinary ambulances which offered no protection against infection for drivers and medical staff.

Forty ambulances bought with the investment have been put into use and another 47 will be gradually presented to the hospitals soon.

Wang Zhiqiong, deputy director of Guangdong Health Department, said the first SARS case in Singapore last month was a warning of another possible outbreak. He urged health departments at various levels to be on high alert against SARS.

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