Chandigarh has been put on red alert to deal with any emergency following reports that the killer pneumonia virus has claimed several lives and infected many others, especially in the countries neighbouring India.

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator, Lieutenant General (retd) J F R Jacob sounded an alert to the Health Department to deal with the emergency, if any, regarding the new lethal strain of killer Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

General Jacob asked the director of Health Services and director of the Government Medical College and Hospital to coordinate their efforts and pool their information, in order to take all preventive measures.

He said that though there were no reports yet that the virus had infected anyone in India, the Health Department should take not take any chance.

Meanwhile, the people have been requested to contact the health authorities immediately in case they have come in contact with patients suspected of carrying the virus.

The health authorities have been asked to keep a close watch on crowded areas especially in the slums and the doctors have been directed not to take patients reporting with symptoms of common cold, cough, fever and respiratory problem lightly.

Two isolation wards have been kept ready in the general hospital in Sector 16 and GMCH in Sector 32.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government too has sounded a state-wide alert for SARS and has instructed all district hospitals to report any symptoms of the dreaded pneumonia to the health department, official sources in Dindigul said.

The administration has also been asked to create awareness about SARS among workers and traders who frequently travel to China, Malaysia, Hongkong, and Singapore.

Port health authorities in Chennai have started screening the crew members and passengers of vessels coming from Singapore, Vietnam, Canada and Hong Kong, Port Trust Chairman P Baskardass said.

"A special team has been constituted and we are watching the situation very closely," he said.