X-Message-Number: 21429
From: 
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 16:44:18 EST
Subject: Killer virus identified

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Killer virus identified
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A team from the Prince of Wales Hospital and Chinese University of Hong
Kong have identified the virus that has caused the recent outbreak of
severe acute respiratory syndrome worldwide, confirming that the current
anti-viral treatment applied to patients has been the right choice.
Identifying the virus as a member of the Paramyxoviridae family, Professor
John Tam of the department of microbiology of the Chinese University said
it was detected by electron microscopy. The finding, announced late last
night, was further confirmed by a molecular technique that revealed the
nucleic acid sequence of the virus.

Asked if the virus was curable, Tam reiterated that the finding last night
had indicated that the current treatment applied to patients suffering from
the syndrome, more commonly known as atypical pneumonia, had been the right
choice. But he added that they still needed to monitor individual patients'
reactions before they could conclude that the virus was curable.

Lo Wing-lok, Medical Association president and legislator, said the
Paramyxoviridae family incorporated different viruses that could affect
humans and, as such, further studies were needed to establish whether it
was a new virus. Earlier it was revealed that at least 6 patients were
responsible for spreading the pneumonia in Hong Kong. Health chief Yeoh
Eng-kiong also said that a mainland professor who died in [Hong Kong] SAR
on 4 Mar 2003 was a victim of the atypical pneumonia.

The new information from officials indicated the disease had been more
widespread in the SAR than originally believed. Yeoh said the pneumonia and
suspected cases had now been isolated into 6 "clusters". Yeoh again
stressed the government was not hiding anything. He insisted there was no
sign of an outbreak at the community level.

[byline: Matthew Lee and Georgina Lee]

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