A top Chinese health official says that new cases of SARS in the capital have hit their peak and leveled off. But he was quick to add that it could be days or weeks before it becomes apparent which way the epidemic will go.

For the moment, Beijing residents are taking no chances, mostly spending the May Day holiday at home.

For the past ten days, Beijing has seen daily increases of up to one hundred-52 new cases of SARS, making it the world's hardest-hit city. Officials in Beijing said SARS cases in Hong Kong and neighboring Guangdong province had leveled off for 16 to 20 days before declining.

The deputy director general of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau said that overall the situation in Beijing is stable, and the upward trend has been effectively checked.

Beijing reported 96 new cases of SARS and nine new deaths on Friday.