SARS cases in India may have been of mild infection: WHO

With almost no fresh SARS suspects being reported in the country, World Health Organisation has said that infection in India may have been ‘‘mild’’ possibly due to presence of similar viruses in the environment or mutation in the dreaded virus.

‘‘That 21 people tested positive means these people were infected with the SARS virus,’’ health officials said. ‘‘… It is possible that these are cases of mild infection…According to one hypothesis, this points to the possibility of cross immunity between the new coronavirus with the already circulating one that causes cold in humans and diseases in pigs, birds and chicken,’’ Dr N. Kumara Rai, from the WHO, said.

Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad Harish Murjani, the patient suspected of having SARS, has ‘‘tested positive’’ but doctors said ‘‘clinically, it is not infectious’’.