BEIJING -- Some Chinese banks are quarantined banknotes for 24 hours before circulating them and are encouraging the use of bank cards in an attempt to halt the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), according to a China Daily report.
"When suspicious banknotes come back in, we first sterilize them with disinfectant, and expose them under ultraviolet light for four hours," an Industrial and Commercial Bank of China spokesperson told the China Daily.
The bank is also disinfecting its more than 700 ATMs in Beijing daily.
The central bank has urged Beijing residents to use bank cards more often to reduce the risk of spreading SARS during cash exchanges.
Extra currency is being printed to ensure there is an adequate supply of "clean" money, according to the China Daily report.
The measures are being taken despite medical experts saying there is "no clear evidence" that SARS can be spread via banknotes.
Beijing has reported 66 deaths from SARS, with 1,347 probable and an additional 1,300 suspected infections.
