Researchers in southern China who traced the virus that causes SARS to the endangered civet said SARS antibodies were found in traders of wild animals who did not develop symptoms of the disease, according to press reports yesterday.
Researchers found SARS antibodies in five traders of wild animals, but none of them developed any of the flu-like symptoms of SARS, He Yaqing, deputy director of the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control (CDC), told Saturday's Yangcheng Evening News. "This could be a very significant step if accurate," World Health Organization spokesman in Beijing Bob Dietz said.
"It means that we could be closer in finding the link between animals and humans that has always been suspected, but it is still not sure if these findings will help lead to a cure for SARS."
The findings suggest that the form of the coronavirus suspected to have jumped from either the civet or the raccoon to humans was actually less lethal than the SARS coronavirus transmitted among humans that has gone on to kill more than 700 and infected more than 8,000 worldwide.
After jumping from animals, the SARS virus mutated and became more lethal to humans, the researcher said.
In Hong Kong, officials announced plans yesterday to collect feces from civets to test them for SARS.
The announcement came on the same day as four more people died from the respiratory disease there.
The latest SARS fatalities pushed Hong Kong's toll to 266, but there was just one new case, for a total of 1,725.
People in the territory are reportedly abandoning their house cats following research that links the outbreak to cat-like civets.
People started taking their pet cats to grooming shops and leaving them, an animal cruelty society official was quoted yesterday as saying.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old
SEA SEARCH: Nine crew members of a cargo ship had taken to the water after the vessel sunk off the southern coast, with a rescue effort under way, officials said The strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years yesterday killed three people and flooded parts of the nation’s second-biggest city, while rescuers were searching for nine sailors after their cargo ship sank in the storm. Typhoon Gaemi transformed streets in Kaohsiung into rivers, with some households flooded. Offices and schools were closed for the second consecutive day, with thousands of people evacuated. Three people died and 380 were injured due to strong winds and torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Gaemi, the Central Emergency Response Center said. The typhoon made landfall in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳) at midnight yesterday and departed Taiwan