Medical opinion: As 11 SARS deaths and more than 200 new cases were reported in mainland China and Hong Kong yesterday, World Health Organisation officials warned that Shanghai could expect a "substantial" rise in suspected cases in the coming week.
Under a new definition adopted by Shanghai health officials only three days ago, the new classification of "suspected" SARS cases would greatly expand the number of cases, said a WHO team member, Dr Daniel Chin.
Scientists have managed to identify the corona virus, from the family which causes the common cold, as the cause of SARS, but they are still battling to develop a simple diagnostic test for the illness.
Dr Jeffrey Koplan, the former director of the Atlanta-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told reporters in Hong Kong yesterday that a vaccine was probably "years away".
But he said a rapid and accurate diagnostic test would have a huge impact on controlling SARS because the early symptoms, which include a dry cough and fever, were common and made accurate diagnosis very difficult.
Beijing has been strongly criticised for covering up the SARS crisis for months, but at a meeting of east Asian health experts in Kuala Lumpur, a senior WHO official praised China's new openness and said new government measures should contribute towards bringing the outbreak under control.
"It is taking significant strides forward in trying to keep the SARS cases under control.
"I'm hopeful the measures they have in place will start bearing fruit very shortly," said Dr Mark Salter, the WHO clinical management group co-ordinator.
The meeting, and regional health ministers' talks later today, are aimed at preparing for an unprecedented emergency summit on SARS in Bangkok next week of the 10-member Association of South-east Asian Nations.
China's health ministry announced five new deaths from SARS and 180 new cases, but more than 100 cases were in Beijing where the WHO said the situation was serious.
Hong Kong announced six new deaths and 22 new cases, bringing the death toll in the city to 115.
Hong Kong and mainland China have each recorded 115 SARS deaths.
Other deaths have been reported in Canada (16), Singapore (17), Vietnam (5), Philippines (2), Malaysia (2) and Thailand (2). - (AFP)