Forum Archive Index - April 2003

["G Stolwyk" <stolwyk@wave.co.nz>]

SARS: GOOD NEWS  for AIA and SKC: 

From an Ozestock site:

"UHK announces breakthrough virus findings. University of Hong Kong researchers have identified the virus that has caused the recent outbreak of atypical pneumonia. Known as a coronavirus, it is spread through droplets and can also survive for up to a few hours outside the human body.

A diagnostic test for coronavirus will be ready tomorrow and it will return results within eight hours. Doctors will be able to discharge recovered patients knowing they no longer carry the virus.

The team behind the discovery are from the University's Department of Microbiology. Chief of Virology Malik Peiris and department head
Kwok-yung Yuen say now that they have identified the source, they no longer want to refer to the illness as "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrom" (SARS).

Instead, they call it Coronavirus Pneumonia.

The best prevention method, the researchers say, is to constantly wash your hands. A mask, by itself, is not foolproof. The coronavirus is spread through droplets - the vapour that sprays from our noses when we sneeze and our mouths when we cough. It can also live outside the body for up to an hour or so.

A person who has coughed into his hand and then touches a doorbell may leave the virus for the next person. If that person touches the doorbell and then rubs his eyes, nose or mouth, he risks coming down with coronavirus pneumonia. **Alcohol can kill the virus**.

The World Health Organization has congratulated the University on its success. The Centres for Disease Control & Prevention based in Atlanta has independently confirmed that coronavirus is the source.

Now that the source is known, it will be easier for drug researchers to find ways to treat the disease and kill the virus. Responding to a query from the press as to the likely origin of the coronavirus, Prof Peiris said it probably originated in animals. However, he later said there were no signs that domestic pets were carriers and were not a cause for worry.

Cheers
infosync