The network is expected to cut from five days to 1.4 days the time it takes the government to learn about diseases discovered in local hospitals, the Xinhua news agency said.

China's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities reported cases of infectious diseases through the system for the first time on Wednesday.

The top five diseases reported were tuberculosis, hepatitis B, dysentery, gonorrhea and hepatitis A.

Delays in reporting contributed to the spread of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in China in late 2002 and 2003, but much of the delay was due to reluctance by officials in provinces and cities to reveal outbreaks in their area, for fear of losing tourists and investments.

It is unclear how a new computer system would alleviate the problem of official coverups.

Despite warnings by the central government that it will punish officials for not reporting diseases, officials were to some extent still slow to act when SARS briefly reemerged this winter, infecting four people.

The fourth patient was not reported until after he was discharged from hospital, drawing stern criticism from the World Health Organization.

SARS emerged in southern China towards the end of 2002, and rapidly spread to most corners of the country, killing 349 people. Nearly 800 people died worldwide as the disease jumped to more than 30 countries.

TERRA.WIRE