China uses criminal penalties in virus battle

Officials found guilty of negligence in their handling of the outbreak have been warned they will be prosecuted

China has promised prompt criminal investigations and prosecutions of government officials found guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty in their handling of Sars.

The move is part of the central government's effort to force officials at all levels to come clean on the scale of the Sars outbreak in areas under their jurisdiction.

The announcement came as the central government was urged to widen its investigation to cover officials in Guangdong, other officials at the Ministry of Health, and those in charge of the mainland's media for their controversial roles in the outbreak.

Backing up calls by President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, the Supreme People's Procuratorate issued an urgent notice, saying that civil servants would be promptly investigated for serious dereliction of duty and negligence which help spread Sars, the China News Service reported yesterday.

The notice also called for prompt arrests and prosecutions of any one making up and spreading rumours to 'disrupt social order'.

It also urged prompt prosecutions of people who drive up prices and profiteer from hoarding and speculation, as well as those people who manufacture and sell fake drugs.