"As for myself, I need to know everything, though I can't do everything," Chen said.
Chen also said the media may improve in some aspects in their coverage of the SARS crisis.
"I really hope the media can respect the privacy of SARS cases when covering the outbreak. The public has the right to know about the epidemic, but SARS victims also have the right [to privacy]," he said.
"The media should be professional. They should be pursuing the truth rather than covering mere `shows' to combat the disease -- such as the disinfections of buses and MRT trains," Chen said.
In March, the Taipei City Government's Bureau of Transportation ordered the disinfection of the city's buses and ordered all bus drivers to wear face masks.
Chen said disinfecting the buses was like a woman putting on make-up without washing her face in advance.
"No matter how beautiful the face looks, the face remains dirty."
On March 25, Chiou Shu-ti (邱淑媞), director of the city's Health Bureau, required the DOH to list SARS as a statutory communicable disease -- an act regarded as a challenge to the central government.
The Executive Yuan declared SARS a statutory communicable disease on March 27.
Chen revealed that as early as March 16 the CDC task force fighting the SARS outbreak had proposed listing the outbreak as a statutory communicable disease.
Chiou said yesterday that she did not suggest the disinfection of buses as "absolutely necessary."
"But when knowledge of an emerging disease is still unclear, it is better to be more positive and take greater efforts," Chiou said.
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