Possible genetic breakthrough as SARS continues to spread

As Student BMJ went to press, scientists in the United States were claiming to have identified the genetic sequence of the virus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The World Health Organization said 58 people have died in China, 33 in Hong Kong, 10 in Canada, and nine in Singapore. These areas, along with Hanoi, have been designated the “hot zones,” but suspected or confirmed cases have been reported from other countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, India, and …