Beijing ? The city government said Sunday that it quarantined 3,600 more people, including doctors and nurses in dozens of hospitals, and closed all movie theaters, Internet cafes and other public entertainment places as China’s capital struggled to contain the spread of SARS.

As Beijing health officials recorded eight new deaths and said as many as 2,300 people might be infected, hundreds of construction workers labored around the clock to build a 1,000-bed isolation ward for SARS patients. A ninth person died elsewhere in mainland China, bringing its total to 131, and 12 more died in Hong Kong.

Taiwan, which reported its first SARS death, imposed a mandatory 10-day quarantine on travelers from areas affected by the virus — including mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Toronto. But officials did not announce where those travelers would stay while quarantined.

Those violating the quarantine, including foreigners, could be jailed for up to two years or fined up to $8,600, Premier Yu Shyi-kun said.

Trying to stem panic over the flu-like disease, the World Health Organization said Sunday there was still time to keep SARS from spreading globally if affected countries took strong enough action, and through travel warnings and checks of travelers for symptoms, such as fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.

Children learning ballet lessons wear masks to protect themselves from severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS. Hong Kong reported 12 more deaths Sunday and 16 new infections. The worst outbreak has been in China, where officials began quarantining thousands Sunday.

The WHO has issued travel warnings for affected areas, including regions of China and Toronto, which reported its 21st victim on Sunday. Canada has the biggest outbreak of SARS outside of Asia.

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, has killed 319 people from Beijing to Toronto in the past several months and sickened more than 4,800 others worldwide. There have been 41 cases in the United States, but no deaths.

Beijing has sealed off three hospitals in a mass quarantine of patients and staff, and 7,600 people who may have been exposed have been ordered to stay home. The city’s public schools also are closed, affecting 1.7 million students.

Hong Kong reported 12 new SARS deaths, matching its previous one-day high, but health officials said the number of new infections dropped Sunday to 16, its lowest figure in weeks.