APRIL 3–SINGAPORE–Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd. said it has not shut down any of its facilities but it is ready to do so if any of its employees becomes infected by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

“There are no plans to shut down any of our operations at this stage, as there are no reports of anyone being exposed to SARS, ” Chartered spokeswoman Maggie Tan said.

“If an employee is infected, Chartered, in compliance with the authorities, will take the necessary measures to shut down the affected area for one shift for the purpose of thorough disinfection and operations will then resume”.

Tan said the company will continue to monitorIthe situation closely.

The company has about 3,500 employees at 11 locations globally. Chartered’s plants are running at about 40 perecent of capacity because of weak global IT demand.

Singapore is among the worst-hit from the SARS outbreak that has claimedU nearly 80 lives and infected over 2,300 people worldwide.

The number of reported SARS cases in the city rose to 98 from 95. Four people died since the first case was reported last month, the Ministry of Health said.