The National Institute of Health announced Friday that it has officially lifted all precautions for major exit and entry points to the country declared on December 18th as countermeasures against the possible spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.

The institute said the measures that had previously been in effect were lifted in line with the Taiwanese government's earlier decision to lift similar countermeasures taken against suspected SARS patients there.

As a result, the 13 quarantine offices across the nation, including one at Incheon International Airport, will perform their usual quarantine procedures without special inspections and health checks for passengers entering the country from Taiwan.