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WHO sheds new light on SARS
HONG KONG, China -- As scientists work feverishly to shed light on the frightening spread of SARS, the World Health Organization has released new findings that show the virus can live for days in human waste. In the first study that gives some hard data on the virus' survival, the WHO discovered SARS is more resilient than first thought, staying alive for at least four days in diarrhea and in urine or feces for up to two days. Dr. Klaus Stohr, the WHO's chief SARS scientist, told The Associated Press this discovery was "the most exciting, or perhaps disturbing, finding." While experts have said all along that SARS is spread through coughs and sneezes, the WHO study now shows that human waste may be a more significant carrier than originally thought. Hong Kong scientists have suspected the virus could live in sewage, and the research adds weight to the theory that leaky sewage pipes triggered a severe outbreak at an apartment complex in the territory, where more than 300 people became ill. Acidity seems to be important -- diarrhea is more alkaline and thus seems to be more hospitable for the virus than feces or urine. The stool of newborns, which is more acidic, kills the virus after three hours. While it is still not clear how much exposure is needed for someone to become infected in these ways, standard disinfectants such as chlorine bleach killed the virus in five minutes, the WHO found. In another finding released on Sunday, Japanese scientists found SARS stayed alive on chilled plastic surfaces for four days. "This is fridge temperature, so if someone touches something with a SARS contaminated hand, it would stay for four days on something in the fridge," Stohr told AP. Since the early days, experts have said the virus can be passed on when one person touches a contaminated area and then touches their own nose, mouth or eyes. But it was not known for how long and at what temperature the virus could stay alive. The virus was also tested at minus-112 degrees for four days and it was unaffected. Globally, SARS has killed nearly 450 people and sickened more than 6,700. It is caused by a new member of the coronavirus family that set off the common cold, and gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in animals.
As yet there is no cure or standard treatment and up to 10 percent of patients die. Doctors say the best defense against SARS for the average person is to wash hands frequently. Hong Kong has reported its lowest number of new SARS cases since mid-March -- an indication the Chinese territory may have seen the worst of the viral outbreak. (Hong Kong breathes easy) A health scare ended happily for 10 Indian sailors in Hong Kong Sunday when they were released from hospital and declared free of SARS after their tanker made an emergency stop in the territory. (All-clear) In China, the WHO says nearly 14,000 people are under quarantine in Beijing and the country's state Xinhua news agency says schools in the capital will remain closed for another two weeks. In other developments: • The WHO has sent a team to Taiwan to investigate a sharp rise in probable SARS cases. Taiwan says it now has at least 100 probable cases -- almost triple the number reported 10 days earlier. At least eight people on the island have died of SARS. • In India, officials released from quarantine 97 foreigners in the southern city of Secunderabad after two Australians among them were cleared of having SARS. • Singaporean authorities have arrested a man who repeatedly flouted home quarantine. The man, who skipped quarantine and went out drinking on two occasions, was jailed in isolation on Friday. Singapore has put in place strict control measures and has recorded 25 deaths out of 203 cases. • A Qantas Airways flight attendant has been placed in isolation in a Sydney hospital and is being treated as a probable SARS case, after a flight from Singapore. The woman flew from Singapore to Sydney and all passengers and crew on board flight QF 32, which landed on April 27, are being contacted. The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.
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