Hong Kong researchers claimed here that they had identified virus that caused the recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in a number of countries and regions, a major breakthrough in the battle against the deadly pneumonia.
John Tam of the department of microbiology of the Chinese University said that the virus is a member of the paramyxovirus family and it was detected by electron microscopy, reported The Standard Wednesday.
The finding was announced Tuesday night by a joint research team consisting doctors from the Prince of Wales Hospital and researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The finding had indicated that the current treatment applied to patients contracting the syndrome, known as atypical pneumonia, had been the right choice, Tam stressed.
He added that they still have to monitor patients' reactions before they could conclude that the virus was curable.
Lo Wing-lok, Medical Association president said the paramyxovirus family incorporated different virus that could affect humans and as such, further studies were needed to establish whether it was a new virus.
The virus has been declared a global threat by the World Health Organization.
Yeoh Eng-kiong said Tuesday night at a news conference that Hong Kong was taking adequate measures against atypical pneumonia.
(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2003)
