A team of experts arrived in Guangdong Thursday to study the
links between the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ) virus
and animals.?
The team consists of 14 experts from the Ministry of Science and
Technology, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations.
The eight foreign experts and six Chinese experts will exchange
views with experts in Guangdong province on the possible animal
host for the SARS virus and channels of SARS spread.
Guangdong was the site of the earliest SARS outbreak. Guangdong
province experts in health, science and technology and agriculture
held talks with the team Thursday afternoon.
Guangdong has collected information and data through research on
wildlife sales, and interviews with people in the catering industry
and confirmed SARS patients.
Agricultural experts were collecting data through study of
wildlife, domestic animals and animal markets.
Pierre Formenty, the team head and WHO expert, praised the
efforts by Guangdong province, and said the inspection was helpful
for international cooperation in combating SARS.
Guan Yi, a team member and an expert of microbiology from the
University of Hongkong, said having more knowledge about SARS was
important for SARS control in the future.
The team will visit markets, restaurants, a wildlife farm, a pig
farm, an agricultural university and the center for disease control
and prevention in Guangdong.
(Xinhua News Agency?August 15, 2003)