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U.S. tracking down SARS Labs

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Concerned about a SARS outbreak traced to labs in Asia studying the virus, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday they were checking across the country to see which facilities have samples of the virus.

Concerned about a SARS outbreak traced to labs in Asia studying the virus, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday they were checking across the country to see which facilities have samples of the virus. Dozens of U.S. laboratories testing the sometimes deadly virus will be reminded of safe procedures for handling it, said Tom Skinner, spokesman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We will be taking additional steps to learn more about the labs that do have this to make sure they know about the steps to take to ensure they have the necessary information and safety protocols in place,” Skinner said in a telephone interview. “The CDC is reaching out through various professional societies,” he said. “Since laboratory-acquired cases occurred in Asia, we have sent a number of reminders through the health alert network at CDC.” Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome first arose in southern China in late 2002 and was spread around the world by travelers. It killed nearly 800 people and infected 8,000 in various countries before the outbreak was declared over in July last year. It has been seen only three times since then — in two cases, in employees of labs studying the virus. In December Taiwan health authorities said a military scientist had contracted the flu-like illness during an accident in his laboratory. Authorities in Beijing have traced an outbreak of nine cases to a medical student who caught SARS in March while researching the virus at the Chinese National Institute of Virology. One victim died. When SARS broke out, scientists shared as much information as they could about the previously unknown virus. Researchers raced to develop diagnostic tests for SARS, vaccines to prevent infection and drugs that would kill the virus. All this work required samples of the virus itself. Skinner said the CDC had sent samples to 56 labs, most of them in the United States. Skinner said the Chinese had their own sources of the virus and said various international organizations could supply labs in the United States and around the world with SARS. SARS is supposed to be studied in labs set up to prevent viruses and bacteria from being inhaled. Such facilities have double doors, carefully controlled air flow and special cabinets to prevent dangerous items from splattering.(Source: Reuters Health News, May 2004)


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Dates

Posted On: 6 May, 2004
Modified On: 5 December, 2013


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