RIYADH, 8 April 2003 — Saudi Arabia has advised its citizens against traveling to parts of East Asia due to an outbreak of atypical pneumonia that has claimed 100 lives worldwide. The caution was issued by the Health Ministry for China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam but did not ban Saudis from traveling to those countries. The ministry reiterated that the Kingdom was free of the killer Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) but decided to adopt further precautionary measures at its airports. Health Minister Osama Shubokshi said the ministry is coordinating with international airlines to prevent the illness from reaching Saudi Arabia.