The organising committee of the Special Olympics World Games, due to begin here in 17 days, is hoping for a final decision today from the State's SARS expert group on which teams can participate.
A spokesman for the committee, Mr Julian Davis, said last night that teams needed to know now whether they could travel, as did the towns hosting them.
The areas affected by SARS and which seem unlikely to be allowed participate unless the SARS expert group changes its ruling are China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Toronto.
"One way or other, it has to be finalised because we are looking at 17 days to the opening ceremony on June 21st. But teams will be arriving on June 16th," said Mr Davis.
The expert group meets at Department of Health headquarters today.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation yesterday questioned the fall in reported new SARS cases in China. Just three new cases were reported yesterday. "We do not know enough about where these numbers are coming from," said WHO spokesman, Mr Iain Simpson.
A further 15 SARS cases were reported in Canada yesterday and one new case in both Hong Kong and Taiwan.