SARS threat could be over within months, says WHO

THE SARS threat could be over within months, but countries must remain vigilant to prevent the disease from resurfacing and combat other possible future epidemics, World Health Organisation officials said yesterday.

"We're hoping in the next few months we'll be in a position to say that the box is now closed," said Dr Mark Salter, a member of WHO's communicable disease surveillance and response unit.

"If the disease rears its head again, we need to have the information at our fingertips to thrust it back again," Dr Salter said.