Over 300 scientists from around the world reached varying degrees of consensus in their anti-SARS endeavour during a two-day symposium in Beijing.

"The most striking consensus we reached is that we have found a kind of restriction protein enzyme which acts as a chemical scissor to cut the spread of the virus in cells in the human body," said David Ho, director and CEO of the New York-based Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre.

"But we still have a long way to go in the effort to locate vaccines and more effective drugs for prevention and treatment of the flu-like disease," said Ho.

He made the remarks during a speech yesterday at a press conference at the conclusion of the International Science Symposium on SARS organized by the Chinese Government which brought together a group of world-ranking scientists, including New York-based Ian Lipkin and Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Guangdong Province.

Lipkin said scientists participating in the international anti-SARS co-operation have set an example for the world community in combating future common disasters.

The scientists have also reached some common ground in advancing the technology for identifying SARS and developing a vaccine against it.

The 300 representatives who gathered in the capital shared their achievements in research into spread trends of SARS, clinical treatment technology, combinations of Western diagnostic practice and traditional Chinese medicines, protective technology and equipment for SARS prevention, and the development of vaccines and drugs.

In a separate development, Vice-Premier Wu Yi on Friday urged governments at all levels to make every effort in SARS prevention and to ensure there is no recurrence of the disease.

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