Restrictions lifted: UC Berkeley's Vice Chancellor Professor Donald McQuade announces that the unversity will further lift its restrictions on students from SARS-affected areas.

The University of California at Berkeley announced that it can further accommodate 124 students from SARS-affected areas, who have enrolled in its summer English courses.

A week ago, the university announced that it will allow 80 students from SARS-stricken areas to attend its summer core academic classes.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, the university's Vice Chancellor Professor Donald McQuade said it is the university's policy to provide education to students from all over the world.

He said 39 and four students from Hong Kong have enrolled in its summer core academic classes and summer English courses respectively.

The first classes begin May 27.

Students from SARS-affected areas will not be quarantined or require a medical certificate. They will not need to wear facemasks on campus.

However, the college has preserved 20 rooms for isolating students who have SARS symptoms. Those students will be isolated for 10 days to confirm whether they have the disease.

Professor McQuade stressed that the university will follow the guidelines issued by US Centres for Disease Control & Prevention and the World Health Organisation.

Health guidelines will be distributed to students and they are required to inform the university when they develop any SARS symptoms.