Beijing Quarantines 4000 Residents Exposed to SARS; Third Hospital Sealed Off

April 26, 2003  Beijing, China - Amid rumors that the Beijing government is about to invoke martial law (denied by officials so far), 4000 residents suspected of SARS contamination were ordered to stay home in quarantine yesterday. Beijing authorities also sealed off the city's third major hospital as the number of new SARS cases jumped from 37 to 877 in only five days. Ditan Hospital in northern Beijing was closed only a few days after the Beijing government had featured the hospital as an example of their health care organization and ability to control SARS. Earlier this week, Peking University's People's Hospital was also closed, along with Northern Jiaotong University where 400 students are quarantined.