China: UN team on potential presence of SARS virus in animals issues guidelines

A joint team of specialists from two United Nations agencies and the Chinese Government has recommended boosting regulations in the farming, trading and consumption of wildlife to shield against a possible animal reservoir of the virus that causes the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

While it is still unknown whether SARS will return, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are continuing to work closely with Beijing to contain any future outbreaks.

"The fight against SARS is not over. Finding its origin will most likely take years," said WHO's Pierre Formenty, a zoonotic disease specialist and joint leader of the mission. "Right now, the need for information is of such urgency that even limited information will be helpful in taking the right control measures."

The experts visited Guangdong Province - where the disease first occurred late last year - from 13 to 19 August to conduct field visits to markets and farms, research centres, and human health facilities. The team returned to Beijing where it issued the recommendations to senior government officials yesterday.

The team also recommended more serological monitoring of the coronavirus in both animals and humans, as well as continued in-depth human studies of SARS index cases.