TWO York private schools are putting pupils into quarantine to guard against the Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus.

St Peter's School, in Clifton, and the Mount School, in Dalton Terrace, are both insisting on a ten-day quarantine period for pupils returning from areas affected by Sars.

This is despite Government reassurances that if people have not been in direct contact with a Sars sufferer and are symptom free, there is little danger.

Girls at The Mount will also have to pass a medical examination before term begins.

Other York schools are being vigilant, but are not planning to quarantine pupils.

Dr Geoffrey Chapman, headmaster at Queen Margaret's School in Escrick, said: "We are aware of the volatility of the situation but are confident we will not need to disrupt the beginning of term."

He added that the school will trace the itineraries of all pupils who had been abroad over the Easter holidays.

The headmaster of Ampleforth College, Father Leo Chamberlain, sent a letter to all parents saying that there will be twice-daily medical checks for pupils who have travelled from an affected area.

Ampleforth is asking that pupils who have been in an affected area and feel unwell should stay away from school for ten days.

Queen Ethelburga's College, at Ouseburn, is also ensuring that pupils who have come from the Far East see the school medical officer twice a day.

Sars has spread from China and Hong Kong to neighbouring countries including Singapore and Taiwan, as well as further afield. Cases have been reported in Canada, Australia, India and Europe.

No York school has taken the drastic measures of Eton College. Eton has banned pupils who have been in affected areas within ten days of the start of term from returning to school.

Six cases of Sars have been identified in the UK, with all but one if the victims now released from hospital.

But a spokeswoman for the Government's Health Protection Agency (HPA) insisted that the chances of contracting Sars in this country was "extremely low".

Since the Sars outbreak began there have been at least 3,000 cases, most in south east Asia, and more than 185 people have died.

Updated: 10:09 Monday, April 21, 2003