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Since
this February, a new disease Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS), spread in the territory.
In merely three months, this contagious disease has
infected more than 1,800 people and killed over 290 in
Hong Kong. This new SARS respiratory illness is also
found in other
countries. Thousands of SARS cases with hundreds
of deaths have been recorded in more than thirty countries
and
areas.
To enable the public to have
a better understanding of this disease and the underlying
science, a "SARS and Viruses" exhibition is developed
by the Hong Kong Science Museum. This exhibition sheds
light on the nature of the causative agent, the coronavirus.
It provides background on the classification, replication
and pathology of viruses, symptoms of SARS, treatment and
preventive measures against infection. A 3D model of a
coronavirus will be on display to illustrate the physical
structure of the virus. As SARS patients invariably exhibit
fever, infrared devices have been used in various ports
and borders to screen out people with elevated body temperature.
By courtesy of the Department of Building & Real Estate
of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a handy infrared
forehead temperature scanner will be set up to provide
a self-serve body temperature checking for visitors. Summing
up, a regime of personal hygiene, town planning that takes
into account community health, and international cooperation
in epidemic monitoring are all essential in combating this
invisible enemy.
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