Posted on 05/07/2003 2:50:19 AM PDT by Prince Charles
Sars 'among most deadly viruses'
British scientists say Sars is much more deadly than many other respiratory diseases particularly for older patients.
The finding in The Lancet shows that Sars is killing one in five of Hong Kong patients in hospital.
That includes 55% of infected patients over 60. In younger patients, the death rate could be as low as 6.8%.
Roy Anderson, epidemiologist at London's Imperial College, said: "That's sadly still very high for a respiratory infection. In other common respiratory infections it is much less than 1% in the vulnerable elderly."
But international scientists and agencies point to wide global variations and still differ over what the chances are for an average person anywhere dying from it.
The finding comes as World Health Organisation experts are being sent to a province in China where the virus is spreading fast.
Russia also says it is considering tough border restrictions with China.
The world Sars death toll stands at least 480. More than 6,700 have been infected since the disease surfaced in China's southern province of Guangdong in November. China has had 214 Sars deaths, nearly half of them in Beijing.
Story filed: 08:22 Wednesday 7th May 2003
Shouldn't they be doing something other than arguing about numbers?
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