Breakthrough on sars virus

[fester]

Two GOOD NEWS from todays media:

Breakthrough on SARS virus

Thailand eased up a bit on Thursday, saying tourists arriving from countries affected by SARS are no longer required to wear masks, as a World Health Organization official praised the country's efforts to prevent the illness.

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Scientists say they have identified the virus behind the deadly respiratory illness spreading worldwide, and have suggested it be named after a doctor who first identified the disease and later became a victim.

The new coronavirus, a relative of one of the viruses that cause the common cold, is new to humans, two research teams reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The finding means that doctors can now concentrate on developing a simple test for the virus that will tell them right away whether a patient has SARS.

[pnustedt]

Strange - the situation is actually getting worse in HK, at the early stages of the outbreak there were 20 to 30 cases a day with one or two fatalities/week. Yesterday there were over 60 new cases with two fatalities.

However, people departing HK airport should be "monitored" in future by the airlines - starting Sunday temperature checks would be taken, etc.

As the virus is from the same family as the flu it is likely to behave in a similar way and probably subside seasonally.

[lopburi3]

Two GOOD NEWS from todays media:

I guess "good" is in the eye of the beholder.  As we have not been able to kill/control the cold virus after all these years it sure does not sound very good to me.