China's response: China's embattled premier, Mr Wen Jiabao, told a summit of South East Asian leaders he was confident the deadly SARS virus would be controlled but only after "a period of very hard work".
Striking a new apologetic tone for a Chinese leader, he strove to reassure his neighbours whose economics have been badly hit by the outbreak, which originated in China.
"I have come to face reality and the world bravely. Please believe the government and people of China," he said.
"We have already learned our lesson," Mr Wen continued.
"The Chinese government and the people have learned a lot." Mr Wen admitted the epidemic was going to be a long-term problem and that China's steps to counter the outbreaks were "by far not adequate and certain departments have not done enough."
"China is in a time of difficulty," he said. "There is a need for us to recognise the fact that the SARS epidemic is going to be a long-term, a complex, and relapsing epidemic.
"What we need is time. That is all," he said.
"I am confident that if we can truly implement our measures and after a period of very hard work, SARS can be brought under control."
China, which has been harshly criticised for covering up the disease initially, reported nine more deaths and 200 new cases on Tuesday, most of them in the capital, Beijing. More than half of the world's SARS cases have occurred in China, where the government said a total of 148 people have died and 3,303 have been infected.
The 10 Asian leaders drafted a six-point plan to control the SARS outbreak, including pre-departure and arrival checks at airports and ports across the region.
The conference is also likely to announce an emergency international hotline on SARS, an exchange of information and research, and other steps.
The World Health Organisation has slapped travel advisories on Beijing and other parts of China, including
Hong Kong, and on Toronto, but it is now optimistic the diseases is under control in Vietnam and Singapore.
Taiwan's cabinet approved a $1.43 billion fund to combat SARS. Taiwan is the only place to have decided to close its borders to visitors from China, Hong Kong, Canada and Singapore for two weeks and quarantine residents returning from those places.
Mongolia confirmed its first two SARS cases yesterday and said four other people had probably been infected.
Among measures announced yesterday, China said it was shutting down its stock exchanges from tomorrow to May 9th.
The People's Bank of China was also putting more new cash into circulation and holding used banknotes for 24 hours before putting them back into people's hands.
The People's Daily said some banks were even sterilising grimy bills and showering them with ultraviolet radiation to kill the SARS virus.
Highlighting deepening public fear, as China fails to check the spread of the disease,residents of a town near Beijing rioted after learning of a plan to set up a SARS quarantine centre in an abandoned school.
The riot erupted on Sunday in the township of 32,500 people about 70 kilometres southeast of Beijing, a local government official said.
He declined to elaborate, or to say how many people took part in the riot or how it was resolved.