Lin Shusen, Party chief of Guangzhou, said the results of the successful scientific test should be put into clinical practice as soon as possible. And at the same time, scientific workers need to strive to develop specific drugs and vaccines to improve the level of prevention, testing and cure of SARS.

The reagent was developed in cooperation by the Research Center of Medical and Bio-engineer Technology under the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Biotechnology Research Center of the Zhongshan University, the Da’an Gene Company of Zhongshan University and Guangzhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

The reagent is able to detect the SARS virus within two hours by merely examining gargle water. And at costs of only 40 yuan (US$4.8), it is suitable for wide use. During examination of 256 samples of gargle water, the reagent checked out 73.2 percent of SARS patients, 44.4 percent of suspected cases and 30 healthy people, which manifested high sensitivity of the drug.

The medicine is now produced by the Da’an Gene Company. The company has at present daily production ability of 10,000 plus.

Ling Shusen said Guangzhou had explored a set of effective measures to cure SARS and has made breakthroughs in the disease’s prevention and detection. The next task is to develop specific drugs and vaccines. It is said that the city has cooperation with Hong Kong in its medical research.

Ling Shusen added that prevention of SARS in large organizations, departments and schools is vital. The reagent should be put into use immediately it becomes available. He warned citizens not to expect beating SARS so soon and not to stop general concern over large infection rates by failure to keep checking.

(china.org.cn by Feng Yikun May 6, 2003)