Still a bumpy ride Aug 14, 2008
When crude-oil futures nearly touched $150 a barrel in mid-July, the airlines were braced for the gravest crisis in their history something far worse and longer lasting than the aftermath of September 11th 2001, or the SARS hysteria in 2003. But since then oil futures have fallen steadily, reaching $114. (The Economist)
Deere Reports Higher Third-Quarter Earnings Aug 13, 2008
The spread of major epidemics (including influenza, SARS, fevers and other viruses) also could affect Company results. Company results are also affected by changes in the level of employee retirement benefits, changes in market values of investment assets and the level of interest rates, which impact retirement benefit costs, and significant changes in health care costs. (Canada Newswire)
Compton Petroleum announces second quarter results Aug 12, 2008
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ADVISORIES Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD intended to provide both an historical and prospective view of our activities. The MDprepared as at August 8, 2008 and should be read in conjunction with the interim unaudited consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2008 and the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,... (PR Newswire)
Alaska cases of infectious diseases drop Aug 10, 2008
Among these were smallpox, West Nile virus and SARS. No cases of those diseases were reported in Alaska. Reported occurrences of giardiasis, also known as beaver fever, fell from 113 cases in 2006 to 79 cases in 2007. (Anchorage Daily News)
Timeline: China Aug 10, 2008
2003 March-April - China and Hong Kong are hit by the pneumonia-like Sars virus, thought to have originated in Guangdong province in November 2002 ... 2003 June - Hong Kong is declared free of Sars ... Days later the World Health Organization lifts its Sars-related travel warning for Beijing. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
GPs might take flight in bird flu crisis Aug 9, 2008
During the SARS outbreak of 2002-03, a number of doctors were among the 774 people killed by the disease. Among them was doctor Carlo Urbani, the World Health Organisation communicable diseases expert who first identified the outbreak. (The Australian)
Will Respirators Help Our Olympic Athletes? Aug 8, 2008
During the SARS crisis, June Shih described. Daniel Engber went over. (Slate)
Costly fuel brings dozens of airlines to their knees Aug 7, 2008
4 percent registered over the year to date, and its lowest rate since an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, emptied aircraft in Asia in 2003. 1. (International Herald Tribune)
Rising costs spell gloom for regional airlines Aug 7, 2008
24bil the airline lost in 2003 following the outbreak of SARS.. This time around Cathay did not raise airfares as much as other global carriers despite doubling its fuel surcharges for long haul travel. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Business)
SAF a much stronger organisation today due largely to talent Aug 7, 2008
Thursday, August 07, 2008. " onclick="Next();" src="/images/butt_next. (Channelnewsasia.com)
Cathay Pacific Reports First Loss in Five Years on Record Jet-Fuel Costs Aug 6, 2008
24 billion loss after slashing fares and giving away thousands of tickets to lure travelers back to Hong Kong following the outbreak of SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The carrier was founded in September 1946 in Shanghai by American Roy C. Farrell and Australian Sydney de Kantzow with a single World War II surplus DC3 airplane named Betsy, which now hangs in the Hong Kong Science Museum. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
A slowdown inevitable? Aug 6, 2008
Wild-card events that could hurt the post-Olympics economy China, according to Louis Capital Markets: political protests, the risk of a contagious disease outbreak like Avian Influenza or SARS during the games, pollution problems and risk of terrorist attacks. Analysts are particularly concerned about the global impact of a post-Olympics slowdown: China's heated growth has been the one bright spot in an increasingly troubled world economy. (CNN -- International)
Airlines in Asia illustrate problems for industry Aug 6, 2008
It was Cathay's first half-year loss since 2003, when fears over severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, devastated the region's tourism industry. The company still booked a profit for that full fiscal year, however. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Face Masks Analyzed As Aid in Flu Pandemic Aug 6, 2008
What little is known about masks and respiratory infections comes from research on tuberculosis and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), two infections that influenza may not mimic ... This strategy was used in Asia during the SARS outbreak of 2003. (Yahoo News -- Influenza)
HK health chief resigns over Sars Aug 6, 2008
Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong was heavily criticised in a recent Sars report ... Dr Yeoh was among several officials criticised in a recent report on the handling of last year's Sars crisis ... He was accused of paying too little attention to Sars when it appeared in mainland China, and issuing misleading public statements. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Cathay sinks to a loss Aug 6, 2008
Welcome to The Sydney Morning Herald. Skip directly to: Search Box, , , Text Version. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
USPTO Issues Patent Embodying Methodologies for Abating a Broad Range of Allergens, Pathogens, Viruses, Bacteria, Odors and Volatile Organic Compounds. Aug 5, 2008
The patent embodies a broad range of applications in the Medical/Health Care (Operating Room sterilization), Homeland Security (SARS and anthrax), Disaster Recovery (fire and flood odors and mold), Travel re (Cruise Ship Viruses), Real Estate, Home and Building Maintenance (allergens, mold, smoke and chemical odors) and other Indoor Air Quality markets. Henry Fishman, M.D., Allergist and Immunologist based in Washington, DC and Member of Prompt Care's Board of Directors since 2001, stated, "I... (PR Newswire)
Will bird flu lead to a pandemic? Aug 5, 2008
A pandemic may be caused by influenza, but may also be cause by new or re-emerging infectious diseases, such as the SARS outbreak a few years ago. The influenza virus is a RNA-based organism, which means that it is much more subject to mutation than us DNA-based folk. (Suite101.com)
Facing up to our failure with HIV/AIDS Aug 5, 2008
I don't really know, but I do know that if something ever develops that is airborne (a new SARS perhaps) we are not prepared to help each other, because based on money instead of sharing information to find a cure faster, sides will be drawn, resources wasted as they are now and by the time a cure is found many lives will have already been lost simply so someone at the top of a pharmaceutical company can take home a single check which totals more than the average person makes in a lifetime.... (Chicago Tribune)
Daily Briefing Aug 5, 2008
8 percent in June, the lowest monthly expansion since the 2003 SARS epidemic cut demand for air travel, the industry group said in a statement. "The airline sector is in trouble," IATA Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani said in the statement. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Business)
NEWS + NOTES Aug 5, 2008
IF you thought you were the only one staying at home this summer, the International Air Transport Association says passenger growth is as low as it was during the SARS crisis of 2003 (iata. org). (New York Post -- Entertainment)
The Germs Are Potent. But So Is a Kiss. Aug 5, 2008
The Germs Are Potent. Related News from NYT Health. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Govt orders Virgin Nigeria to relocate to MM2 Aug 5, 2008
Director General and Chief Executive Officer of IATA, Mr. Giovanni Bisignani, said: "The global economic turbulence clearly shows in the 0.8 per cent drop in freight volumes compared to last year. Although the passenger demand grew by 3.8 per cent, this is the slowest growth that we have seen since the industry was hit by the SARS crisis in 2003. With consumer and business confidence falling and sky-high oil prices, the situation will get a lot worse. "The airline sector is in trouble. Losses... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
First fall in air cargo in three years Aug 5, 2008
8%, its lowest rate of increase since 2003 when the SARS health crisis caused many people to avoid air travel. With consumer and business confidence falling and sky-high oil prices, the situation will get a lot worse, IATA director-general Giovanni Bisignani said in a statement. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Business)
Only black humour can cure tax season's corruption blues Aug 4, 2008
While it is clear, according to Pravin Gordhan, the commissioner of the SA Revenue Service (Sars), that more people have been caught in the tax net in recent years, many remain outside the system ... "As tax filing season begins in earnest, [Sars] has announced a ground-breaking initiative that will see it channelling funds directly from taxpayers to corrupt government officials and organised crime bosses," the website trumpets ... Quoting fictional Sars spokesperson Lucretia Fisk, it says the... (Business Report, South Africa)
How now Yao? Aug 2, 2008
He has raised money for SARS research, donated to Sichuan quake victims ... In 2003 he returned home to play on the Chinese national team, and also hosted a multi-national telethon that raised more than $300,000 to help researchers seeking a cure for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). (CNN -- International)
Virus Behind Mysterious Parrot Disease Identified Aug 2, 2008
"This discovery has potentially solved a mystery that has been plaguing the avian veterinary community since the 1970s," said DeRisi, a molecular biologist whose laboratory aided in the 2003 discovery of the virus causing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, in humans. "These results clearly reveal the existence of an avian reservoir of remarkably diverse bornaviruses that are dramatically different from anything seen in other animals.". (Science Daily)
Responsibility key to successful taxes - Gordhan Jul 31, 2008
Gordhan, who has been the Sars commissioner for 10 years, would not be drawn on his future after his contract expires next year. BUSINESS SERVICES. (Business Report, South Africa)
Olympic smog measures cost Chinese industry Jul 30, 2008
"It is almost as bad as 2003, when SARS broke out," said Matthew Lin, director of Bravo Tours China in Shanghai, where he said business is down 30 percent. "Many foreigners canceled their trips or didn't bother to come.". (MSNBC -- Business)
Animal feed puts SA farm trade in red Jul 28, 2008
According to figures from the SA Revenue Service (Sars), imports of animal or vegetable fats and oils rose to R2 ... According to Sars, imports of oil seeds increased from R1. (Business Report, South Africa)
* Singapores tourism sector suffers drop in visitor arrivals Jul 27, 2008
1 percent last month, the steepest monthly decline since the SARS outbreak five years ago, as rising hotel charges deter tourists arriving from Indonesia and Malaysia ... 2 percent in October 2003, when business and leisure travelers shunned the island because of an outbreak of SARS.. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Yarchagumba! It's caterpillar cocktail time Jul 26, 2008
Demand for Yarchagumba has leapt over the past 15 years, especially since 2003 when the SARS epidemic swept Asia. The fungus was in demand at the time for its reported ability to improve immunity. (Asia Times Online)
'100 000 jobs could go' Jul 23, 2008
The Qantas chief who has guided the airline through downturns sparked by crises such as SARS, the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq war in his eight years at the helm said fuel costs were fundamentally changing the industry. "The global aviation industry faces not just a shock or indeed a blip or indeed a crisis really but a permanent transformation," he said. (iAfrica.com)
China Blogs to Read During the Olympics Jul 22, 2008
Danwei: Literally "work unit" in Chinese, Danwei was born during the last major Beijing event-- the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-- and has grown into a must-read for anyone with a significant interest in China's media market. Danwei is the go-to site for sites blocked by Chinese authorities, round-ups of headlines in the Chinese press and literary happenings in the capital. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
There is cause for concern about aspects of the current debate about climate change. Jul 22, 2008
Just another SARS, Y2K Bug, Bird Flu etc beat up to make money for vested interests. But whats new. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Contagion risk of huddled masses Jul 21, 2008
Remember SARS and bird flu ... Present government policy stresses international surveillance of disease outbreaks and a set of measures designed to respond to serious threats such as plague, SARS and bird flu. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
World warned over killer flu pandemic... Jul 21, 2008
With international tourist journeys now reaching 800 million a year, giving unprecedented potential for epidemics to spread across borders, and many cities rapidly growing in developing countries, which would provide "fertile ground" to spread disease, peers on the committee warned that conditions such as Sars, avian influenza and ebola "have the potential to cause rapid and devastating sickness and death across much of the world if they are not detected and checked in time". Their report said:... (The Drudge Report)
Light in the fog Jul 19, 2008
"He knew air pollution was a touchy subject for the government and suggested it would not be "convenient" to publish his name. It is the same for China's many air pollution and medical experts. But much of their work remains accessible online.Zhong Nanshan, who became a national hero five years ago for blowing the whistle on Beijing's cover-up of SARS, says pollution in Guangzhou was so bad that anyone over 50 had black lungs. The state media says the average life expectancy of a traffic... (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
After millions spent fixing flaws, UGA says lab ready Jul 18, 2008
Your Connection to the. Web Search powered by YAHOO. (Athens Banner-Herald)
A fitter aviation industry takes shape Jul 16, 2008
"Previous crises like SARS or Sept. 11 were shocks," Giovanni Bisignani, the director general of the International Air Transport Association, said in an interview, referring to the impact of the epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Asia in 2003 and the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. "Something happened, and the industry had to recover. The fuel crisis, however, has brought lasting change of unprecedented dimensions.". (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
Zooming In On Genetic Shuffling Jul 14, 2008
3, 2003) The SARS virus is capable of changing rapidly and unpredictably, which could present serious challenges for managing the disease and developing drugs and vaccines to combat it, research at the. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Grab a mirror: What's your biggest dating flaw? Jul 13, 2008
Is it that like bird flu or sars, by the way what evera happened to them, ain t hear nothing but them in years. Lawd, these plagues and diseaes popping up like pop cone. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
Online Courses Boost Infection Control Skills That Could Prove Vital In A Pandemic Jul 13, 2008
"The Canadian organisations that managed the SARS outbreak have also raised major concerns about the limited availability of infection control experts and courses to train or retrain healthcare staff in basic infection control procedures. "There is global consensus about this gap and the need for greater emphasis on infection control in healthcare settings. " It was those concerns that led researchers to develop, and test out, the online course in infection control procedures. "The results of... (Science Daily)
DR. MOM COLUMN: Dangers of Lyme disease over hyped Jul 7, 2008
This is not a new phenomenon, however, and long before the disease of the month was bird flu or SARS, Lyme disease was all the rage. Although it may not live up to all the media hype, Lyme disease is a very real yet treatable illness. (Evansville Courier & Press (subscription))
American visits to Canada hit 36-year low Jul 7, 2008
"Each year there's been a challenge: We had 9/11 and the SARS outbreak, the exchange rate, and high gas prices," says Gisele Beauvais Olivier as she arranges Quebecois ceramics in her boutique on Rue St Paul. "Americans are very good customers who appreciate handicrafts, but they are not here as usual.". (Christian Science Monitor)
China's business climate index continues to drop in Q2 Jul 7, 2008
6 points, its lowest level since the outbreak of SARS in 2003. It has since stayed above 130. (Xinhuanet, China)
Canadian lab working to make buildings "immune" to chemical ... Jul 6, 2008
As research labs such as the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) began experimenting on hazardous pathogens such as SARS or tuberculosis, Kozinski wondered if there was a way to protect workers in the event of an accidental spill or leak ... Once the bugs are identified, eWAR blasts them with ultraviolet light - which kills most viruses and microbes, such as SARS, the flu, tuberculosis, anthrax and others. (Vancouver Sun)
Limiting spread of flu virus critical Jul 6, 2008
China is where Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was discovered and 30 cases of H5N1 have been reported since 2003. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued warnings and recommendations for travelers and athletes heading to Beijing for the Olympics. (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Planning for the next natural disaster Jul 5, 2008
The World Health Organization stands as the most likely organization to take on this task, especially after its effective global response to SARS. WHO is an internationally recognized neutral body that could elicit the support of the nations of the world to develop such a plan ... Our history of response was late in the outbreak of SARS, and we feel unprepared for avian flu. (Boston Globe)
Air Canada prepared for fuel crisis Jul 2, 2008
MONTREALAir Canada is in a better position to survive the fuel crisis than many rivals because it emerged from the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and the SARS scare a stronger carrier, Robert Milton said yesterday ... "Air Canada was the only airline on the planet that both had its airspace shut down after 9/11 and had SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) at home," Milton said. (Toronto Star)
Sars patients can provide therapy Jul 1, 2008
Sars is caused by a coronavirus. People infected with the Sars virus can be treated by taking antibodies from others who have recovered from the disease, research shows ... Our approach produces protective antibodies that would provide immediate protection against the Sars virus. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
China Frees Dissident Physician Jul 1, 2008
BEIJING, July 20 -- China has released the dissident physician who became a national hero for exposing the government's coverup of the SARS epidemic, sending him home Monday night after 49 days of confinement aimed at pressuring him to disavow a letter in which he denounced the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre ... The decision to detain Jiang was a risky one because of the popular reputation for honesty and integrity he earned during the SARS coverup ... In 2003, two weeks after a letter he wrote... (Yahoo News -- SARS)
The lost colonies Jul 1, 2008
Lipsitch found that each person with SARS would infect, on average, three other people. So to force the reproductive ratio below one, at least two-thirds of these infections needed to be blocked - mainly by isolating people who had been in contact with SARS patients. (International Herald Tribune -- Ed/Op)
Oil costs will kill bargain airlines, Milton warns Jul 1, 2008
While acknowledging the challenges ahead for Air Canada, Mr. Milton said the airline has survived tough times in the past, overcoming the double-whammy of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 in Asia and Toronto. SARS "was the real crisis" at Air Canada because "nobody would go to Toronto, and nobody wanted to come to Canada," said Mr. Milton, recalling how air traffic fell between Asia and Canada - punishing... (Globe and Mail)
When fear overpowers reason, then you're lost Jun 30, 2008
Most of the SARs in Chugach State Park right next to Anchorage never get a mention, probably because they nearly always end successfully. Same for the regular life-saving sorties of the pararescuemen from the Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage. (Anchorage Daily News)
HK health chief resigns over Sars Jun 30, 2008
Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong was heavily criticised in a recent Sars report ... Dr Yeoh was among several officials criticised in a recent report on the handling of last year's Sars crisis ... He was accused of paying too little attention to Sars when it appeared in mainland China, and issuing misleading public statements. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Airport test to stop arrival of Sars and flu 'pointless' Jun 30, 2008
Airport test to stop arrival of Sars and flu 'pointless ... Screening for flu or Sars at UK airports to try to stop a pandemic taking hold in Britain will not work, warns an article in this week's British Medical Journal ... Many people could be incubating the infection when tested but not show positive results because flight times are not long enough to allow flu or Sars to develop to the point of detection. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
SARS spurs China to act on AIDS Jun 30, 2008
Lessons learned from China's 2003 SARS epidemic are spurring the country's response to AIDS, revealed a senior Chinese government minister on Tuesday ... He said this was "an important lesson we learned from last year's SARS outbreak" ... In a report by UNAIDS and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum (APLF), which urges the region's leaders to act quickly on the HIV/AIDS crisis, Wang writes: "Spurred by China's experience with SARS, the central government is scaling up its response, politically and... (Yahoo News -- SARS)
From China, stories of crisis and hope Jun 27, 2008
In 2003, Chinese authorities were forced to reach out to the international medical community to deal with an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Such contact led to a broad effort to identify and treat China's estimated 830,000 people with AIDS, as well as to launch a prevention campaign. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Winning Hong Kong hearts Jun 26, 2008
The 2003 protest march in which some 500,000 demonstrators brought down the first chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa - in the wake of a harsh economic downturn, massive unemployment and the outbreak of SARS - also ushered in a much more hands-on approach by Beijing in dealing with both the Hong Kong government and its people. Among the results was the playing of the national anthem several times a day - before all newscasts - as well as endless lectures on the need to cherish the motherland. (Asia Times Online)
Viruses Hitch A Ride In The Cell Jun 26, 2008
The manipulation of cellular compartments by the SARS coronavirus for replication purposes will also be discussed by Dr Marjolein Kikkert (Leiden University Medical Centre). Adapted from materials provided by , via , a service of AAAS.. (Science Daily)
Face Masks Analyzed As Aid in Flu Pandemic Jun 26, 2008
What little is known about masks and respiratory infections comes from research on tuberculosis and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), two infections that influenza may not mimic ... This strategy was used in Asia during the SARS outbreak of 2003. (Yahoo News -- Influenza)
Qantas CEO sees fuel costs 'almost out of control' Jun 25, 2008
He said the fuel crisis was the biggest challenge to the airline industry in up to 40 years more serious than the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist hijackings and the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS because it will be longer lasting. Qantas canceled 34 domestic flights because of escalating strikes in four cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth by its engineers union, the company said. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
How To Speak Bubba Jun 25, 2008
New Republic, July 9A in the cover package on China reports on the activities of physician and "national hero" Jiang Yanyong, who exposed the Chinese government's cover-up of the SARS outbreak. In 2004 Jiang circulated a letter to prominent government officials urging it to acknowledge its role in the Tiananmen massacre and its continued thwarting of attempts to memorialize its victims. (Slate)
* China Southern Airlines balks at cross-strait route Jun 24, 2008
Well do everything we can to pass this difficult time, which is the worst period for Chinese carriers since the SARS outbreak in 2003, Liu said. Chinas airlines would need a 70 yuan increase in surcharges to offset the increase in fuel prices announced last week, Li said. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
