China and France are planning to set up a satellite-based positioning system to monitor how viruses such as SARS "travel" in the atmosphere, scientists said this week. The Pasteur Institute of Shanghai, which specializes in biomedical research, will provide a task force for the project.

It also plans to coordinate with various Chinese government sectors and institutes to establish the country's first such supervision network.

That includes the Ministry of Agriculture and the Resource Satellite Application Center.

Vincent Deubel, director of the Pasteur Institute of Shanghai, was quoted by Wenhui Daily on Tuesday as saying: "We hope to set up a Shanghai-based supervision network to monitor the movement of infectious diseases within China.

"This network will greatly improve public health in prevention of all kinds of infectious diseases," he said.

One institute researcher said since infectious viruses always move in the atmosphere and clouds, satellite-based research will help pinpoint their location and prevent the communication of viruses in advance.

Deubel said after scientists acquire information concerning climate and geology in different areas of the country, they can analyze trends in how viruses infect people and animals.

Then they will complete a prevention report to the central government to take preventive measures, if needed, he added.

Deubel said the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the city government and two French companies may invest in the project.

Officials of the institute yesterday declined to release detailed information, saying "it is still on the way." They also declined to comment on the cost of the project.

Chen Zhu, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was quoted by Wenhui Daily on Tuesday as saying: "This prevention network is one of the hottest fields of study in global research."

The Pasteur Institute of Shanghai is not for profit and was co-established last year by CAS, the municipal government and Paris-based Institute Pasteur.

(Shanghai Daily June 19, 2005)