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Australia plays downs killer virus danger

CANBERRA: As panic over a killer virus spreads across Asia, Australia's chief medical officer on Monday played down the dangers of the flu-like disease which has no cure, saying it was hard to catch and its fatality rate low.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has killed nearly 60 people worldwide and infected more than 1,600 but no cases have been confirmed in Australia or New Zealand.

Worried New Zealanders and Australians have cancelled trips to worst-hit Asian nations. This, combined with depressed demand blamed on the war in Iraq, has prompted national carriers Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand to cut flights.

Over 1,300 telephone calls have been made to an Australian health hotline but Australia's chief medical officer, Professor Richard Smallwood, said people were overreacting.--Reuters