Almost 200 people have died from the virus worldwide

The games for adults and children with learning disabilities are to be held at 23 venues in the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland in June.

Thousands of competitors will be staying in host towns on both sides of the border.

The virus has already affected more than 20 of the countries involved.

Sars appears to be caused by a new strain of a coronavirus which may have "jumped" from animals to humans in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.

So far the strain has killed more than 200 people, mainly in China, Hong Kong, Canada and Singapore.

We will act on any directive that we get from the Department of Health in relation to this matter because public health and safety will take precedence Peter O'Brien Special Olympics

The Director of Support Services for the Special Olympics, Peter O'Brien said Sars is not a threat for people and the games will not be cancelled.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday, Mr O'Brien said public health and safety was the main priority.

"We are confident that the games will go ahead," he said.

"We are concerned with the issue at the moment but to put it in perspective the people who will be coming from the affected areas are under medical supervision so their health is being currently monitored.

"I would reiterate that we will act on any directive that we get from the Department of Health in relation to this matter because public health and safety will take precedence."

Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland Doctor Etta Campbell said she was confident that public health measures put in place are strong.

Vaccine

She added that any risk of infection from people travelling to the province was minimal.

"Obviously everyone recognises the risk that there is from international travel, particularly from areas where there is currently transmission of infection," she said.

"However, anyone leaving from an area such as that will be screened thoroughly before they leave and will be given advice about their health."

So far, two suspected cases of the disease have been treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

Both cases were diagnosed as the common cold.

Meanwhile, scientists have said the virus thought to cause Sars is constantly changing form, which will make developing a vaccine difficult.

The Beijing Genomics Institute reported that the virus is "expected to mutate very fast and very easily".

Etta Campbell said public health measures to deal with the virus are strong

The number of new cases in China continues to rise, with the authorities admitting over the weekend that the virus is more widespread than previously acknowledged.

There have now been almost 4,000 probable cases of Sars worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Scientific teams are racing to produce a vaccine against the new strain, but have warned that this may take years.

Experts say that a vaccine may only offer limited - and temporary protection.

Scientists believe that the current strain is transmitted through droplets coughed out of the lungs, but are still not certain about other possible routes of transmission.

Meanwhile, the WHO has dismissed criticism that it has exaggerated the threat posed by Sars.

Last month it took the unusual decision to issue a worldwide warning about the disease.

Spokesman Dick Thompson, speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, said: "We needed people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of this disease. We did not want them to walk into a health clinic and not alert physicians that they had travelled from one of the outbreak sites."