RI free of SARS: WHO

JAKARTA: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Indonesia and other Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) members free of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), according to a senior government official.

Umar Fahmi Achmadi, director general for communicable diseases eradication at the Ministry of Health, said on Monday that WHO's decision to remove ASEAN from the SARS list took effect on June 12.

"Since June 11, there were no SARS victims in ASEAN," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

There was therefore no need to be afraid of traveling to ASEAN countries any longer, he said. People have avoided visiting the region since the SARS outbreak in March.

ASEAN consists of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippine, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. -- Antara