Sars laid to rest

Doctors have finally defeated Sars, the deadly lung disease that caused panic around the world two years ago.

Although the coronavirus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome still exists in animals it no longer possesses the ability to cause an epidemic in humans.

Dr Kathryn Holmes, an expert on Sars from the University of Colorado, said strains of the virus recently isolated from civet cats were different from the one responsible for the epidemic.

Even if an escaped virus or new dangerous strain did threaten humans again, doctors would now be ready to deal with it, she said.