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Angry and frightened parents Thursday accused the Hong Kong government of "dithering" over the killer pneumonia outbreak, as a palpable and growing anxiety gripped the former British colony.

Many parents urged the authorities to announce the immediate closure of all 2,000 schools in the city. They accused the government of risking the lives of their children to preserve Hong Kong's tourist-friendly image.

"The government has to take action and close the schools, all of them and not just one or two. The authorities need to stop dithering and playing God with the health of our kids," said one mother, Chui Yan.

Authorities resisted calls Wednesday to close all schools and ordered only six schools to shut down because of the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

However more than 50 schools closed voluntarily, and according to newpapaper reports Thursday up to 100 schools have actually shut down.

The SARS outbreak has far killed 10 people in Hong Kong and infected 316 other people, including another 30 cases reported Wednesday, among them two students.

A poll conducted by the pressure group Health Power showed nine out of 10 parents fear their children could contract the illness in class and more than seven out of 10 want schools to be closed immediately.

"The government needs to make the decision to close all the schools. If some remain open then parents will continue to send their children there because then they don't have to find someone to look after their kids," said another mother, who gave her surname as Ho.

"The government should copy the example of Singapore. They have one death and they close all the schools. That is the act of a responsible government."

"There are eight students infected. So do we have to wait for a student to die before we close the schools?" said Ho.

Singapore, which reported its first deaths from the disease on Wednesday, announced the suspension of all classes up to pre-university level to check the spread of the disease.

Some 600,000 students will be out of school beginning Thursday until April 6

"There is a risk they could catch it. If the government cannot guarantee 100 percent safety, if there is even a one percent chance our children can catch it, then they should all close," said Ho.

Economists have forecast the SARS outbreak will hit Hong Kong hard, in particular the key tourism sector, a pillar of Hong Kong's economy, as visitors stay away in droves.

The Rolling Stones rock group have already cancelled two concerts, and there is pressure for this weekend's Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament to be called off after three teams pulled out on health grounds.

Morgan Stanley economist Denise Yam predicted the ongoing war in Iraq and the deadly virus combined could cost Hong Kong's tourism industry up to two billion Hong Kong dollars (256 million US) in the next two months.

Student Edmund Ho admitted he would rather not go to school. "If I had the choice, then I would not come.

"But my parents are scared I will fall behind in my studies if I don't attend. But I think health is more important as we can always catch up. If we get sick then ...". He did not finish his sentence.

A group calling itself the "Coalition of Parents" gathered outside government headquarters on Thursday to pressure for the closure of all schools.

Chief executive Tung Chee-hwa was expected Thursday to announce measures to tackle the spread of the virus, which could include quarantine procedures. 

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