Single Rooms Becoming the Norm in New Hospitals Aug 28, 2008
They reduce hospital-acquired infections, especially important in the age of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and SARS. "Most of the cases of the SARS outbreak in Toronto came out of a hospital, which could have been avoided if they didn't have multiple patients in a room," Bolin pointed out. Private rooms also have private bathrooms, again helping to curb infection. (MEDLINEplus)
CIBC Announces Third Quarter 2008 Results Aug 27, 2008
Revenue was up $95 million from the prior quarter, mainly due to the interest income from reassessments, higher net unallocated revenue from treasury and prior quarter foreign exchange loss on the repatriation noted above, partially offset by lower revenue from the hedging of stock appreciation rights (SARs). Revenue for the nine months ended July 31, 2008 was down $163 million or 38% from the same period in 2007, mainly due to lower unallocated revenue from treasury, foreign exchange loss on... (Canada Newswire)
READY FOR 2010?: S. Africa's World Cup concerns increase Aug 26, 2008
Valcke claimed that Blatter was contemplating a switch only if a specific situation occurred, such as the SARS epidemic in China six years ago, when FIFA was obliged to move the Women's World Cup to the U.S. for safety reasons. Nevertheless, Port Elizabeth is a public relations disaster for South Africa's World Cup organizing committee, who are clueless in the spin department. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
Medical Breakthrough Aug 23, 2008
Between them, his stories encapsulate almost the complete spectrum of the medical world from preparing for medical-school exams to gritty night shifts; from the experience of being a medevac physician to treating an unforeseen, potentially fatal complication during childbirth; from shenanigans with the police in the emergency room to the terrifying first days of the outbreak of SARS. ... In Contact Tracing, another piece that ratchets up the tension, Fitzgerald is dying of SARS, having... (Time.com)
'Sovereignty' that risks global health Aug 21, 2008
As the world learned with the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) -- which first appeared in China in 2002 but was not reported by Chinese officials until it spread to four other nations -- globally shared health risk demands absolute global transparency. There is strong evidence from a variety of sources that forms of the bird flu virus circulating in Indonesia are more virulent than those elsewhere and in a few cases may have spread directly from one person to another. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Editorial)
Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg resigns Aug 19, 2008
While Mr Gregg was expected to leave some time under the new regime, the speed of his departure was a surprise given his experience at a time when the airline industry, in the words of Virgin Blue boss Brett Godfrey, was facing a crisis as big as September 11 and SARS combined. Mr Gregg had worked for and its former offshoot Australian Airlines for more than 20 years and has served on the board of Qantas for eight years. (The Australian)
'Bob made things happen' Aug 17, 2008
" A life-long gadget-geek, no matter where the family moved when they were kids, Bob always had a spot reserved for a workshop in the basement, Jim Leek said. Bob loved amateur radios and a good game of paintball. He was remembered as a detail-oriented leader. He joined the military after high school and remained in the reserves when he joined To -ronto Fire. "Bob, I salute you and I will miss you," Jim Leek said. Family friend Scott Cowden credited Leek with a willingness to take on... (Toronto Sun)
Hospitals beef up superbug safeguards Aug 16, 2008
"SARS really made it hit home, that there was transmission between people in multi-bed rooms and to people coming in to visit them.". Recent research has shown the added cost of converting wards to single rooms or building new, single-room facilities is offset by savings in treating disease outbreaks, she said. (Globe and Mail -- National)
IQAir Chosen by USA Cycling to Provide Ultra-High Efficiency Air Cleaning in Beijing Aug 15, 2008
The HealthPro Plus is a portable room air purifier used by hospitals around the world to absorb particles as small as the SARS virus, MRSA, and tuberculosis. IQAir also designed special facility sized air cleaning systems for the popular USA Cycling Lounge in Beijing, the cycling team's logistics center where athletes relax and recuperate between races. (PR Newswire)
Deere Reports Higher Third-Quarter Earnings Aug 13, 2008
The spread of major epidemics (including influenza, SARS, fevers and other viruses) also could affect Company results. Company results are also affected by changes in the level of employee retirement benefits, changes in market values of investment assets and the level of interest rates, which impact retirement benefit costs, and significant changes in health care costs. (Canada Newswire)
Compton Petroleum announces second quarter results Aug 12, 2008
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ADVISORIES Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD intended to provide both an historical and prospective view of our activities. The MDprepared as at August 8, 2008 and should be read in conjunction with the interim unaudited consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2008 and the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,... (PR Newswire)
Alaska cases of infectious diseases drop Aug 10, 2008
Among these were smallpox, West Nile virus and SARS. No cases of those diseases were reported in Alaska. Reported occurrences of giardiasis, also known as beaver fever, fell from 113 cases in 2006 to 79 cases in 2007. (Anchorage Daily News)
Timeline: China Aug 10, 2008
2003 March-April - China and Hong Kong are hit by the pneumonia-like Sars virus, thought to have originated in Guangdong province in November 2002 ... 2003 June - Hong Kong is declared free of Sars ... Days later the World Health Organization lifts its Sars-related travel warning for Beijing. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
GPs might take flight in bird flu crisis Aug 9, 2008
During the SARS outbreak of 2002-03, a number of doctors were among the 774 people killed by the disease. Among them was doctor Carlo Urbani, the World Health Organisation communicable diseases expert who first identified the outbreak. (The Australian)
Will Respirators Help Our Olympic Athletes? Aug 8, 2008
During the SARS crisis, June Shih described. Daniel Engber went over. (Slate)
Costly fuel brings dozens of airlines to their knees Aug 7, 2008
4 percent registered over the year to date, and its lowest rate since an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, emptied aircraft in Asia in 2003. 1. (International Herald Tribune)
A slowdown inevitable? Aug 6, 2008
Wild-card events that could hurt the post-Olympics economy China, according to Louis Capital Markets: political protests, the risk of a contagious disease outbreak like Avian Influenza or SARS during the games, pollution problems and risk of terrorist attacks. Analysts are particularly concerned about the global impact of a post-Olympics slowdown: China's heated growth has been the one bright spot in an increasingly troubled world economy. (CNN -- International)
Airlines in Asia illustrate problems for industry Aug 6, 2008
It was Cathay's first half-year loss since 2003, when fears over severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, devastated the region's tourism industry. The company still booked a profit for that full fiscal year, however. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Face Masks Analyzed As Aid in Flu Pandemic Aug 6, 2008
What little is known about masks and respiratory infections comes from research on tuberculosis and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), two infections that influenza may not mimic ... This strategy was used in Asia during the SARS outbreak of 2003. (Yahoo News -- Influenza)
USPTO Issues Patent Embodying Methodologies for Abating a Broad Range of Allergens, Pathogens, Viruses, Bacteria, Odors and Volatile Organic Compounds. Aug 5, 2008
The patent embodies a broad range of applications in the Medical/Health Care (Operating Room sterilization), Homeland Security (SARS and anthrax), Disaster Recovery (fire and flood odors and mold), Travel re (Cruise Ship Viruses), Real Estate, Home and Building Maintenance (allergens, mold, smoke and chemical odors) and other Indoor Air Quality markets. Henry Fishman, M.D., Allergist and Immunologist based in Washington, DC and Member of Prompt Care's Board of Directors since 2001, stated, "I... (PR Newswire)
Will bird flu lead to a pandemic? Aug 5, 2008
A pandemic may be caused by influenza, but may also be cause by new or re-emerging infectious diseases, such as the SARS outbreak a few years ago. The influenza virus is a RNA-based organism, which means that it is much more subject to mutation than us DNA-based folk. (Suite101.com)
Facing up to our failure with HIV/AIDS Aug 5, 2008
I don't really know, but I do know that if something ever develops that is airborne (a new SARS perhaps) we are not prepared to help each other, because based on money instead of sharing information to find a cure faster, sides will be drawn, resources wasted as they are now and by the time a cure is found many lives will have already been lost simply so someone at the top of a pharmaceutical company can take home a single check which totals more than the average person makes in a lifetime.... (Chicago Tribune)
Daily Briefing Aug 5, 2008
8 percent in June, the lowest monthly expansion since the 2003 SARS epidemic cut demand for air travel, the industry group said in a statement. "The airline sector is in trouble," IATA Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani said in the statement. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Business)
The Germs Are Potent. But So Is a Kiss. Aug 5, 2008
The Germs Are Potent. Related News from NYT Health. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Govt orders Virgin Nigeria to relocate to MM2 Aug 5, 2008
Director General and Chief Executive Officer of IATA, Mr. Giovanni Bisignani, said: "The global economic turbulence clearly shows in the 0.8 per cent drop in freight volumes compared to last year. Although the passenger demand grew by 3.8 per cent, this is the slowest growth that we have seen since the industry was hit by the SARS crisis in 2003. With consumer and business confidence falling and sky-high oil prices, the situation will get a lot worse. "The airline sector is in trouble. Losses... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
First fall in air cargo in three years Aug 5, 2008
8%, its lowest rate of increase since 2003 when the SARS health crisis caused many people to avoid air travel. With consumer and business confidence falling and sky-high oil prices, the situation will get a lot worse, IATA director-general Giovanni Bisignani said in a statement. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Business)
Sars patients can provide therapy Aug 4, 2008
Sars is caused by a coronavirus. People infected with the Sars virus can be treated by taking antibodies from others who have recovered from the disease, research shows ... Our approach produces protective antibodies that would provide immediate protection against the Sars virus. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
HK health chief resigns over Sars Aug 4, 2008
Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong was heavily criticised in a recent Sars report ... Dr Yeoh was among several officials criticised in a recent report on the handling of last year's Sars crisis ... He was accused of paying too little attention to Sars when it appeared in mainland China, and issuing misleading public statements. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Only black humour can cure tax season's corruption blues Aug 4, 2008
While it is clear, according to Pravin Gordhan, the commissioner of the SA Revenue Service (Sars), that more people have been caught in the tax net in recent years, many remain outside the system ... "As tax filing season begins in earnest, [Sars] has announced a ground-breaking initiative that will see it channelling funds directly from taxpayers to corrupt government officials and organised crime bosses," the website trumpets ... Quoting fictional Sars spokesperson Lucretia Fisk, it says the... (Business Report, South Africa)
How now Yao? Aug 2, 2008
He has raised money for SARS research, donated to Sichuan quake victims ... In 2003 he returned home to play on the Chinese national team, and also hosted a multi-national telethon that raised more than $300,000 to help researchers seeking a cure for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). (CNN -- International)
Virus Behind Mysterious Parrot Disease Identified Aug 2, 2008
"This discovery has potentially solved a mystery that has been plaguing the avian veterinary community since the 1970s," said DeRisi, a molecular biologist whose laboratory aided in the 2003 discovery of the virus causing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, in humans. "These results clearly reveal the existence of an avian reservoir of remarkably diverse bornaviruses that are dramatically different from anything seen in other animals.". (Science Daily)
China Frees Dissident Physician Jul 31, 2008
BEIJING, July 20 -- China has released the dissident physician who became a national hero for exposing the government's coverup of the SARS epidemic, sending him home Monday night after 49 days of confinement aimed at pressuring him to disavow a letter in which he denounced the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre ... The decision to detain Jiang was a risky one because of the popular reputation for honesty and integrity he earned during the SARS coverup ... In 2003, two weeks after a letter he wrote... (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Airport test to stop arrival of Sars and flu 'pointless' Jul 31, 2008
Airport test to stop arrival of Sars and flu 'pointless ... Screening for flu or Sars at UK airports to try to stop a pandemic taking hold in Britain will not work, warns an article in this week's British Medical Journal ... Many people could be incubating the infection when tested but not show positive results because flight times are not long enough to allow flu or Sars to develop to the point of detection. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Responsibility key to successful taxes - Gordhan Jul 31, 2008
Gordhan, who has been the Sars commissioner for 10 years, would not be drawn on his future after his contract expires next year. BUSINESS SERVICES. (Business Report, South Africa)
Olympic smog measures cost Chinese industry Jul 30, 2008
"It is almost as bad as 2003, when SARS broke out," said Matthew Lin, director of Bravo Tours China in Shanghai, where he said business is down 30 percent. "Many foreigners canceled their trips or didn't bother to come.". (MSNBC -- Business)
Yarchagumba! It's caterpillar cocktail time Jul 26, 2008
Demand for Yarchagumba has leapt over the past 15 years, especially since 2003 when the SARS epidemic swept Asia. The fungus was in demand at the time for its reported ability to improve immunity. (Asia Times Online)
SARS spurs China to act on AIDS Jul 23, 2008
Lessons learned from China's 2003 SARS epidemic are spurring the country's response to AIDS, revealed a senior Chinese government minister on Tuesday ... He said this was "an important lesson we learned from last year's SARS outbreak" ... In a report by UNAIDS and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum (APLF), which urges the region's leaders to act quickly on the HIV/AIDS crisis, Wang writes: "Spurred by China's experience with SARS, the central government is scaling up its response, politically and... (Yahoo News -- SARS)
There is cause for concern about aspects of the current debate about climate change. Jul 22, 2008
Just another SARS, Y2K Bug, Bird Flu etc beat up to make money for vested interests. But whats new. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Contagion risk of huddled masses Jul 21, 2008
Remember SARS and bird flu ... Present government policy stresses international surveillance of disease outbreaks and a set of measures designed to respond to serious threats such as plague, SARS and bird flu. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
World warned over killer flu pandemic... Jul 21, 2008
With international tourist journeys now reaching 800 million a year, giving unprecedented potential for epidemics to spread across borders, and many cities rapidly growing in developing countries, which would provide "fertile ground" to spread disease, peers on the committee warned that conditions such as Sars, avian influenza and ebola "have the potential to cause rapid and devastating sickness and death across much of the world if they are not detected and checked in time". Their report said:... (The Drudge Report)
Light in the fog Jul 19, 2008
"He knew air pollution was a touchy subject for the government and suggested it would not be "convenient" to publish his name. It is the same for China's many air pollution and medical experts. But much of their work remains accessible online.Zhong Nanshan, who became a national hero five years ago for blowing the whistle on Beijing's cover-up of SARS, says pollution in Guangzhou was so bad that anyone over 50 had black lungs. The state media says the average life expectancy of a traffic... (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
After millions spent fixing flaws, UGA says lab ready Jul 18, 2008
Your Connection to the. Web Search powered by YAHOO. (Athens Banner-Herald)
A fitter aviation industry takes shape Jul 16, 2008
"Previous crises like SARS or Sept. 11 were shocks," Giovanni Bisignani, the director general of the International Air Transport Association, said in an interview, referring to the impact of the epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Asia in 2003 and the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. "Something happened, and the industry had to recover. The fuel crisis, however, has brought lasting change of unprecedented dimensions.". (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
Zooming In On Genetic Shuffling Jul 14, 2008
3, 2003) The SARS virus is capable of changing rapidly and unpredictably, which could present serious challenges for managing the disease and developing drugs and vaccines to combat it, research at the. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Grab a mirror: What's your biggest dating flaw? Jul 13, 2008
Is it that like bird flu or sars, by the way what evera happened to them, ain t hear nothing but them in years. Lawd, these plagues and diseaes popping up like pop cone. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
Online Courses Boost Infection Control Skills That Could Prove Vital In A Pandemic Jul 13, 2008
"The Canadian organisations that managed the SARS outbreak have also raised major concerns about the limited availability of infection control experts and courses to train or retrain healthcare staff in basic infection control procedures. "There is global consensus about this gap and the need for greater emphasis on infection control in healthcare settings. " It was those concerns that led researchers to develop, and test out, the online course in infection control procedures. "The results of... (Science Daily)
DR. MOM COLUMN: Dangers of Lyme disease over hyped Jul 7, 2008
This is not a new phenomenon, however, and long before the disease of the month was bird flu or SARS, Lyme disease was all the rage. Although it may not live up to all the media hype, Lyme disease is a very real yet treatable illness. (Evansville Courier & Press (subscription))
American visits to Canada hit 36-year low Jul 7, 2008
"Each year there's been a challenge: We had 9/11 and the SARS outbreak, the exchange rate, and high gas prices," says Gisele Beauvais Olivier as she arranges Quebecois ceramics in her boutique on Rue St Paul. "Americans are very good customers who appreciate handicrafts, but they are not here as usual.". (Christian Science Monitor)
Canadian lab working to make buildings "immune" to chemical ... Jul 6, 2008
As research labs such as the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) began experimenting on hazardous pathogens such as SARS or tuberculosis, Kozinski wondered if there was a way to protect workers in the event of an accidental spill or leak ... Once the bugs are identified, eWAR blasts them with ultraviolet light - which kills most viruses and microbes, such as SARS, the flu, tuberculosis, anthrax and others. (Vancouver Sun)
Limiting spread of flu virus critical Jul 6, 2008
China is where Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was discovered and 30 cases of H5N1 have been reported since 2003. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued warnings and recommendations for travelers and athletes heading to Beijing for the Olympics. (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Planning for the next natural disaster Jul 5, 2008
The World Health Organization stands as the most likely organization to take on this task, especially after its effective global response to SARS. WHO is an internationally recognized neutral body that could elicit the support of the nations of the world to develop such a plan ... Our history of response was late in the outbreak of SARS, and we feel unprepared for avian flu. (Boston Globe)
Stats SA's new measuring tape is the field worker Jul 2, 2008
66 billion in May, way below forecasts, largely because of a decrease in oil imports, the SA Revenue Service (Sars) said yesterday. . (Business Report, South Africa)
The lost colonies Jul 1, 2008
Lipsitch found that each person with SARS would infect, on average, three other people. So to force the reproductive ratio below one, at least two-thirds of these infections needed to be blocked - mainly by isolating people who had been in contact with SARS patients. (International Herald Tribune -- Ed/Op)
When fear overpowers reason, then you're lost Jun 30, 2008
Most of the SARs in Chugach State Park right next to Anchorage never get a mention, probably because they nearly always end successfully. Same for the regular life-saving sorties of the pararescuemen from the Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage. (Anchorage Daily News)
From China, stories of crisis and hope Jun 27, 2008
In 2003, Chinese authorities were forced to reach out to the international medical community to deal with an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Such contact led to a broad effort to identify and treat China's estimated 830,000 people with AIDS, as well as to launch a prevention campaign. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Winning Hong Kong hearts Jun 26, 2008
The 2003 protest march in which some 500,000 demonstrators brought down the first chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa - in the wake of a harsh economic downturn, massive unemployment and the outbreak of SARS - also ushered in a much more hands-on approach by Beijing in dealing with both the Hong Kong government and its people. Among the results was the playing of the national anthem several times a day - before all newscasts - as well as endless lectures on the need to cherish the motherland. (Asia Times Online)
Viruses Hitch A Ride In The Cell Jun 26, 2008
The manipulation of cellular compartments by the SARS coronavirus for replication purposes will also be discussed by Dr Marjolein Kikkert (Leiden University Medical Centre). Adapted from materials provided by , via , a service of AAAS.. (Science Daily)
Qantas CEO sees fuel costs 'almost out of control' Jun 25, 2008
He said the fuel crisis was the biggest challenge to the airline industry in up to 40 years more serious than the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist hijackings and the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS because it will be longer lasting. Qantas canceled 34 domestic flights because of escalating strikes in four cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth by its engineers union, the company said. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
How To Speak Bubba Jun 25, 2008
New Republic, July 9A in the cover package on China reports on the activities of physician and "national hero" Jiang Yanyong, who exposed the Chinese government's cover-up of the SARS outbreak. In 2004 Jiang circulated a letter to prominent government officials urging it to acknowledge its role in the Tiananmen massacre and its continued thwarting of attempts to memorialize its victims. (Slate)
* EDITORIAL: Airports need a re-vamp Jun 23, 2008
The question is whether the Ministry of Health can work out an effective quarantine mechanism to prevent public heath disasters such as SARS from happening again. Airport infrastructure is linked to national image. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
USU ecology professor seeks data integration Jun 23, 2008
Avian flu and SARS also have the potential to spread. Crowl explained that better monitoring of these developments will require innovative measurement equipment and supercomputers that can analyze data from dozens of organizations. (Logan Herald Journal, UT)
TETRA gaining acceptance Jun 23, 2008
Phey said disaster recoveries, like SARs, earthquakes and hand-foot-mouth disease, involved many different agencies simultaneously. The difficulty would be to mobilise everyone accordingly. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Business)
Real bio-defense research not Hollywood Jun 21, 2008
She has researched Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and smallpox, and helped develop possible treatments for SARS and Ebola. The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Hensley's employer, is responsible for protecting soldiers but works closely with civilian agencies that guard against epidemics. (AZCentral -- Business)
Unexpected Link Between Coronavirus Replication And Protein Secretion In Infected Cells Jun 20, 2008
Coronaviruses, a group including the well-known SARS virus, are the causative agents of many respiratory and enteric infections in humans and animals ... 9, 2006) In a discovery that suggests a possible new route by which scientists might fashion a vaccine against SARS, researchers have discovered one of the weapons the SARS coronavirus uses to sabotage the ... (May 19, 2004) It has been more than three weeks since the last case was placed in isolation in China s latest SARS outbreak, prompting... (Science Daily)
A Civil Society Emerges From the Earthquake Rubble Jun 18, 2008
Initial information control during the SARS crisis in 2003 and the toxic pollution of the Songhua River in 2005 created a social crisis. Rumors flourished. (YaleGlobal Online Magazine, CT)
