| Carol, Several countries have developed such tests. Germany and the US, as well as the Chinese. I assume the Chinese would use the one invented by the PLA. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200304/16/eng20030416_115292.shtml - Hamburg-based Artus says its test can detect the virus from throat swabs, sputum or faeces, and produces results in two hours. It began distributing test kits on April 14 in collaboration with the Bernhardt Nocht tropical medicine institute - Abbott Laboratories, another of the world's largest makers of diagnostic tests, is finalising an agreement with an undisclosed firm to distribute a test. - The Genome Institute of Singapore says it has a three-hour test in the final stages of completion, and the National Institute of Health and Epidemiology in Hanoi, Vietnam, has developed a six-hour test. From what I have heard, none of these tests are highly reliable at this time. It is okay albeit highly inconvenient to get a false positive, but what if it gives a false negative and the patient or his caretakers don't take precaution as a result... http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEL20030507065655&Page=H&Title=Top+Stories&rLink=-229 I don't see any new information coming out of Nanjing in terms of number of new cases. There are 4 probable cases and 18 suspected cases in the Jiangsu. It was reported yesterday that schools in Nanjing now require students to wear face masks on their way to school and to wear gloves when taking public transport. Passengers arriving in Nanjing at railway stations are now registered and their temperature taken. (Yangtse.com) Take care! |
With SARS, All We Have is Time