SARS VIRUS MAY BELONG TO FAMILY OF MICROBES

CAUSING MEASLES AND MUMPS, DOH SAYS

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit, in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO), today revealed that initial studies made by scientists on the samples from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) cases show resemblance to a virus group that causes measles and mumps, also known as paramyxovirus. 

WHO Country Representative Jean Marc Olive' said that the samples were taken from a Singapore physician who fell ill while in Germany. The physician was seen at the Frankfurt Hospital Saturday after getting off a Singapore Airlines flight from New York. Findings still need to be confirmed in other SARS cases. 

However, Dayrit said that the findings are big step in guiding scientists in studying the disease's transmission and prevention. 

Besides measles and mumps, the paramyxovirus family includes other viruses of varying degrees of danger to people. 

Presently, there are now 219 cases monitored the WHO Surveillance team. WHO continues to get reports that some patients seem to be getting better.