WHO Seeks Inquiry as 4th SARS Case Reported

China announced its fourth SARS case of the season, saying the patient had left the hospital after “total recovery” -- a disclosure that prompted the World Health Organization to demand an investigation.

A doctor, 40, from Guangdong province fell ill Jan. 7, the official New China News Agency said. He was hospitalized Jan. 13 and discharged “several days ago,” it said. It unclear why no word about him was released sooner.

“The case raises a number of concerns about the manner in which the man’s infection was detected, treated and reported,” the WHO said, adding that it hadn’t been told about the case of severe acute respiratory syndrome until Friday.