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By MARY PAPADAKIS
27apr03
MORE than one billion people worldwide could be infected by the deadly SARS virus within a year, a leading UK scientist has warned.
Dr Patrick Dixon, a specialist in predicting global trends based at London's Development Management School, said SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) had the potential to turn into a pandemic and infect more people than AIDS.
The grim prediction comes as a Melbourne infection control specialist warned the virus could destroy Third World countries.
Glenys Harrington, who flew to Manila yesterday to join the World Health Organisation's assault on SARS, said the virus was a major threat to developing nations.
"Countries that are Third World or very poor may in fact be easily overwhelmed by SARS," she said.
"It could devastate some of these countries. It's important to offer any kind of assistance to them now.
"If we don't have a global effort to help countries that are under-resourced, it can get out of control."
In other developments:
UK scientists said a SARS vaccine could be ready by the end of the year but safety checks could delay its introduction for two years and it was not expected to work indefinitely because the virus is mutating.
THE first commercial diagnostic test for SARS, developed by German biotechnology company Artus, should arrive in Australia next week.
THE WHO has called for an official global hunt to track down every possible case and halt the explosive epidemic.
VIETNAM will be declared the first country to contain the virus if no new cases are diagnosed by April 30.
CHINA intensified its efforts against the virus, launching a national SARS control centre and a 10-step strategy for tackling the crisis, including improved quarantine and free medical services to poor SARS patients.
TAIWAN relocated 480 health workers, who were quarantined with 600 patients and visitors at SARS-ravaged Taipei Municipal Ho Ping Hospital, to military barracks.
HONG KONG officials took samples from a apartment block, the Hing Tung House, where seven people became ill.
By MARY PAPADAKIS
27apr03
MORE than one billion people worldwide could be infected by the deadly SARS virus within a year, a leading UK scientist has warned.
Dr Patrick Dixon, a specialist in predicting global trends based at London's Development Management School, said SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) had the potential to turn into a pandemic and infect more people than AIDS.
The grim prediction comes as a Melbourne infection control specialist warned the virus could destroy Third World countries.
Glenys Harrington, who flew to Manila yesterday to join the World Health Organisation's assault on SARS, said the virus was a major threat to developing nations.
"Countries that are Third World or very poor may in fact be easily overwhelmed by SARS," she said.
"It could devastate some of these countries. It's important to offer any kind of assistance to them now.
"If we don't have a global effort to help countries that are under-resourced, it can get out of control."
In other developments:
UK scientists said a SARS vaccine could be ready by the end of the year but safety checks could delay its introduction for two years and it was not expected to work indefinitely because the virus is mutating.
THE first commercial diagnostic test for SARS, developed by German biotechnology company Artus, should arrive in Australia next week.
THE WHO has called for an official global hunt to track down every possible case and halt the explosive epidemic.
VIETNAM will be declared the first country to contain the virus if no new cases are diagnosed by April 30.
CHINA intensified its efforts against the virus, launching a national SARS control centre and a 10-step strategy for tackling the crisis, including improved quarantine and free medical services to poor SARS patients.
TAIWAN relocated 480 health workers, who were quarantined with 600 patients and visitors at SARS-ravaged Taipei Municipal Ho Ping Hospital, to military barracks.
HONG KONG officials took samples from a apartment block, the Hing Tung House, where seven people became ill.
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