Hong Kong, May 23: University of Hong Kong Research suggests the SARS virus originated from a Civet Cat, an official said today. Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-Yung was to explain the discovery at a late afternoon news conference, but a spokesman for the University's Medical School, Lennon Tsang, confirmed the finding over the phone. Researchers here had previously said Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome had come from an animal and crossed into humans, but they were not sure which kind of animal. The Hong Kong researchers said in a statement they had successfully isolated a type of coronavirus that causes SARS and it came from Civet Cats. Coronavirus, which can cause common colds, has been seen for some time as the cause of SARS, but the finding about the Civet Cats is new.
Civet Cats are eaten by some Chinese, and the researchers said it is important they should be raised in farms that are closely monitored to avoid transmitting SARS to humans.
The Cats should be processed at central slaughtering facilities and sold in designated premises with good hygienic conditions.
The researcher identified the animals in question as a masked Palm Civet. Bureau Report