Independent schools and colleges in Winchester are taking special precautions to guard against the possible spread of the Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus.

Any student who spends their Easter vacation in a country affected by the disease is being asked to return to the UK for a quarantine period of at least 10 days before the start of the new term.

So far, cases of the disease have claimed the lives of 162 people worldwide. And more than 3,000 people have been infected in countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, the Guangdong Province in southern China, Canada and the UK.

Winchester College is known to have a number of students from Hong Kong and the Far East and this week it issued the following advice on its website: "The disease is dangerous and it would be foolish to take risks.

"Therefore, any pupils who have been abroad to affected countries during the holidays must return to the UK at least 10 days before the beginning of term (April 23rd).

"Any boy who has visited an affected country and has not yet returned to the UK must not come back to school until he has completed the 10-day quarantine period.

"The school's senior medical practitioner and our regional microbiologist support our policy; and it is understood that other schools are adopting the same procedure. Pupils should not, of course, return to school if they have any of the symptoms of Sars.

"Additionally, we ask that adults who have been in affected countries do not visit the school until this situation is at an end, unless they have complied with the above quarantine requirement."

Similar action is being taken by other schools and colleges in the city. David Warren, bursar at Peter Symonds' College said: "We have received some guidelines from the department of health, which advises us to keep a look out for symptoms and we will be checking with boarding staff when they return to college next week."

Gavin Haig, bursar at St Swithun's School, Winchester, confirmed that a number of girls at the college were visiting affected countries during their vacation and that the school was following the advice issued by the Medical Officers of Schools Association, insisting that pupils returned to the United Kingdom for the 10-day quarantine period before the start of term.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Hampshire County Hospital confirmed that staff had held meetings this week to raise awareness to the symptoms of SARS and to go over special procedures for dealing with highly contagious diseases.

"We have facilities to isolate any patient who presents with symptoms which are highly infectious and are always prepared for any such emergency."