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<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>Dear Friends and Experts -</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader> </DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>Attached please find an update of NCHC's SARS Grid
current progress</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>on page 5. The first four pages of
descriptions on NCHC's initial involvement,</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>the spread of SARS in Taiwan, requirements and
solutions adopted</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>are especially for those who may not
receive the update of May 21st.</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader> </DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>Please also notice that the contact person of
NCHC's AG deployment</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>for monitoring SARS in Taiwan is me from now on.
We truly thank</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>the Program Manager of PRAGMA, Teri Simas, for
sending out</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>NCHC's call for AG expertise in the international
grid communities.</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader> </DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>I will continue to keep each of you posted. Thank
you all for your</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>concern and support.</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>
<P>===
<DIV>Grace Hong / Special Assistant to Grid Computing Division<BR>National
Center for High-Performance Computing<BR>#7, R&D VI Rd. Science-Based
Industrial Park, Hsinchu, Taiwan<BR>Tel: 886-3-5776085 ext.370 Fax:
886-3-5773538<BR>Email: <A
href="mailto:gswhong@nchc.org.tw">gswhong@nchc.org.tw</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader>--------------</DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader><STRONG><EM>In the News</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader> </DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader><B><A
href="http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=18031">http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=18031</A></B></DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader> </DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader><B>Taiwan reports 10 more SARS cases, no new
deaths (updated 10:13)</B><BR><FONT color=#ff8040><STRONG><I><FONT
size=2>2003/5/24<BR>TAIPEI, Taiwan, AP</FONT></STRONG></I></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsContent1>For the second day in a row, Taiwan reported no
new SARS deaths Saturday, though the number of infections rose by 10.
<P>
<P>The new figures bring Taiwan's number of SARS cases to 548, while the death
toll stayed at 60, the island's Center for Disease Control said.
<P>
<P>A total of 102 SARS patients have left hospital after recovering from the
disease, health officials said.
<P>
<P>Taiwan has the world's third-highest SARS toll after China and Hong Kong.
<P>==
<P><A
href="http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=18029">http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=18029</A>
<P>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsHeader><B>Legislative Yuan approves NT$50 billion for
SARS battle (updated AM 01:56)</B><BR><FONT color=#ff8040><STRONG><I><FONT
size=2>2003/5/24<BR>The China Post staff
</FONT></STRONG></I></FONT><BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=HeadLineNewsContent1>The Legislative Yuan approved yesterday a
special NT$50 billion budget plan yesterday after three readings without any
funding being axed, showing lawmakers' support for efforts to combat the spread
of the deadly SARS virus
<P>The package is the result of a special budget plan submitted by the Executive
Yuan May 15, when SARS was taking an increasing toll on Taiwan, including dozens
of deaths and an overall economic downturn.
<P>A total NT$23.8 billion of the budget will be used to set up a SARS
prevention and reporting system, finance anti SARS programs at medical
facilities and help families of SARS victims, according to the budget.
<P>Some NT$10.5 billion is earmarked for the Ministry of Transportation and
Communications for SARS prevention measures in the transportation service
industry, including quarantine programs and measures to upgrade disinfection of
related facilities. The budget will also be used to subsidize airline companies,
which are one of the industries hardest hit by SARS.
<P>So far this month, the number of passengers at the Taipei CKS International
Airport has fallen more than 80 percent from a year earlier as severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) makes itself felt and undercuts the economy.
<P>NT$9.3 billion is reserved for the Ministry of Economic Affairs for financial
bail-outs of small- and medium-sized enterprises that have indirectly been
severely affected.
<P>The budget also includes an allocation of NT$2 billion for the National
Science Council for the research and development of anti-SARS vaccines and
medicines, as well as financing basic medical development.
<P>NT$1.5 billion is allocated to the Ministry of the Interior for quarantine
services, electronic monitoring of people in home quarantine, stepped-up
measures to crack down on stowaways and illegal immigrants from mainland China,
and financial compensation for police and fire-fighting units engaged in
SARS-prevention efforts.
<P>Another NT$700 million is earmarked for the Ministry of Education for buying
SARS-prevention medical supplies and beefing up measures for Web site teaching
and video conferencing programs.
<P>The Veterans Affairs Commission is allocated NT$500 million for SARS
prevention disinfection and for building quarantine quarters in military-run
nursing homes.
<P>The Council of Labor Affairs will receive NT$390 million to subsidize
quarantined laborers who incur financial losses because of SARS.
<P>The Executive Yuan plans to raise the budget mainly through borrowing,
according to Executive Yuan officials.
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