One hundred and forty-three people have been confirmed to have contacted the SARS patient in east China's Anhui Province as of Tuesday and they are in normal condition, according to the Anhui Provincial Health Department.

The figure is seven up from Monday. Among the new members, two have been in close contact and five have been in common contact with the patient.

Thirty-six in close contact with the SARS patient have been discharged from medical observation and 78 are still receiving medical observation and their body temperatures are normal, according to the provincial health department.

Those in common contact with the SARS patient are receiving medical visits from health departments.

Since April 22, China has reported two diagnosed and six suspected SARS cases in east Anhui Province and Beijing.

Since the Anhui diagnosed SARS patient and one Beijing suspected SARS patient used to work in the same laboratory in the Institute of Virology in Beijing, experts said it was possible that the epidemic may have been caused by laboratory infection.