New efforts are being made by the nation's health
authorities and researchers to prevent researchers from being infected with the
SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus in laboratories, and prevent the
virus from flowing outside of work areas.
Officials are pressing labs to prevent accidents, saying it is vital to
strictly obey safety regulations and prevent the virus from spreading from
laboratories to the outside world.
The new intensity comes after the infection of a SARS researcher in a Taiwan
lab.
Labs are the only known source of the virus now, Ruan Li of the Chinese
Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) said yesterday in Beijing.
The safety situation at the laboratories on the Chinese mainland so far is
due to the strict control measures in effect. They include sound hardware,
effective management regulations, normative operation, and strict controls of
the microbes used in experiments, Ruan, who directs the Viruses Disease Centre,
noted.
Ministry of Health officials have issued a notice to strengthen storage and
management of SARS virus samples, indicating all containers must be stored in
facilities that have been approved by health authorities.
The Ministry of Science and Technology on Friday also called on tighter
management at SARS labs, noting that individuals, institutions and substandard
laboratories are not allowed to conduct viral research without official
approval.
Inspectors have been sent out to check safety conditions for laboratories in
Beijing, Guangzhou and Wuhan cities and Heilongjiang Province.
SARS virus samples should be stored in Chinese CDC, Guangdong CDC, Beijing
CDC, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.
"I feel quite safe now in the laboratory except for lengthy tiredness since
the outbreak of SARS," Duan Shumin, director of the Virus Resources Centre of
the Chinese CDC told China Daily at the gate of the P3 laboratory for SARS
virus.
She said she feels safe because her lab staff strictly obeys regulations all
the time.
She said the particular negative effect brought on by SARS research work is
fatigue, from stress and pressure.
"I have been insisting on doing exercises for two hours every day to keep my
health,'' said Duan.
Taiwan reported this winter's first SARS case on Wednesday. A laboratory
researcher contracted SARS at work.
The SARS patient was likely infected with the virus during a December 6
cleaning accident in his laboratory that involved a torn plastic bag which
leaked contaminated liquid, an investigation report from Taiwan medical
authority said on Friday.
Taiwan health authorities said three people who had contact with Taiwan's new
SARS patient have not yet been reached by the government as of yesterday.
Up to now, a total of 34 people in Taiwan and more than 200 people in
Singapore have been placed under medical observation.
No one has shown symptoms.
