China may ban civet dining to fight SARS

[Guest guest]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-10/18/content_383421.htm

 

China may ban civet dining to fight SARS

(Agencies)

Updated: 2004-10-18 15:03

 

To prevent a winter return of the deadly SARS virus, a

senior Chinese health official will visit southern

Guangdong province this month to map out measures such

as banning civet cat from menus, a newspaper said on

Monday.

 

Initiatives to be hammered out by Vice Minister of

Health Wang Longde and provincial officials would

include banning restaurants from cooking and serving

high-risk animals such as civet cats, Hong Kong's Wen

Wei Po said.

 

Chinese health experts have concluded that the civet

cat, considered a delicacy in the south, was a primary

source of last year's SARS epidemic.

 

Thousands of civets were killed in Guangdong province

in January because of fears they may carry a form of

the virus that can jump to humans.

 

Guangdong would be the focus of Wang's move and the

measures for civet cats there would not be extended to

the whole country, the newspaper said.

 

The civet is a small carnivorous mammal found in Asia

and Africa. The brown, furry creature with a cat-like

body, long tail and weasel-like face has long been

coveted by those who believe its tender flesh will

improve their health and complexion.

 

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome emerged in Guangdong

in November 2002 and was soon spread by travellers.

 

The disease eventually killed some 800 people around

the world and infected about 8,000.

 

A top Chinese health official warned on Saturday of

the increased risk of infectious diseases such as SARS

and bird flu jumping across the border to Hong Kong in

2005 as more Chinese travel to the southern city for

work and play.

 

Speaking after a two-day meeting with health officials

from Hong Kong and Macau, Chinese Vice Minister for

Health Huang Jiefu, stressed the need for surveillance

and sharing of information sharing to control the

spread of infectious diseases.