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China confirms new SARS-related virus in pneumonia outbreak
Fifteen patients test positive, as experts say vaccine could take years to develop.
SHANGHAI – Health experts in China on Thursday confirmed a new type of coronavirus as the cause of an unknown form of pneumonia in the country.
The virus is part of the family strain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, coronavirus that killed hundreds in Asia and elsewhere in 2003. Coronaviruses, transmitted through animals and humans, can cause respiratory and abdominal illnesses.
Chinese researchers said the new coronavirus is different from the six human coronaviruses, which includes SARS, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Researchers are now rushing to identify the cause of the virus and clinical symptoms for more details.
Health authorities had earlier ruled out SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, and bird flu as the root cause of the outbreak, which originated in the city of Wuhan, in central Hubei Province.
CCTV said that researchers had obtained the genetic sequencing of the virus from one patient who tested positive. Fourteen others have also tested positive for the same type of virus in preliminary examinations. Tests were taken from patients' blood samples and throat swabs.
Eight patients were discharged on Wednesday. They were among the 59 patients hospitalized for pneumonia in Wuhan since late last month. The virus had been traced to a seafood wholesale market in the city. The market, where most of the patients worked, has since been shut down.
"Based on the information disclosed by Chinese authorities, the new virus appears to be less severe than SARS, which has a death rate of almost 10%," David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said at a news conference on Thursday at Hong Kong's Department of Health. "For the new disease, only less than 10% of the patients are in critical condition, compared with 25% for SARS."
"At this stage, there is not enough information to conclude whether there is human-to-human transmission," Hui said. "As the affected market was closed on Jan. 1, the incubation period of the virus is not over yet. If there are no confirmed cases among the patients' close contacts by the end of next week, and no medical workers are infected, we may greatly reduce the possibility of human-to-human transmission," he said.
Leo Poon, professor at the University of Hong Kong, told the Nikkei Asian Review that the new coronavirus probably came from animals. "I think the source of the virus is probably similar to SARS in 2003," he said, adding that street markets could have sold animals containing the virus, which was then spread to people. "The good news is that the new virus has been detected, and experts can then do more accurate tests to determine who has been infected and how many people have actually been infected," he said.
Poon and other experts say the development of specific drugs and vaccines to treat a new virus could take years.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Society/China-confirms-new-SARS-related-virus-in-pneumonia-outbreak
up to the old tricks again.
VENUS61 G5 touch and go @ Kinston
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getz you.
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