United Nations: As the deadly new pneumonia virus continued to attack more and more people, the World Health Organisation (WHO) convened a two-day meeting of scientists to study the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which has so far killed 144 people and infected 3169 more worldwide.

The meeting, to be held in Geneva on April 17 and the day after will review the epidemiological, clinical management and laboratory findings on SARS, a top WHO official said o April 16.

These key leaders in the response to the current outbreak and other public health authorities will also discuss global control strategies.

"What we are talking about is a new disease and therefore what's dangerous about this is we don't know its potential," David Heymann, Executive Director of WHO's Communicable Diseases, told reporters at the UN head quarters.

It would take three to four weeks to get a clearer picture on the potential of the killer disease, particularly whether it would become a permanent infectious disease, he said the WHO acted quickly when the new infection first appeared some weeks ago when it issued a global alert.

Since then it has created a virtual research centre, developed a diagnostic test and established a global network by which physicians can share clinical data on treatments and outcomes.

On China, the worst-affected country where the disease is supposed to have originated, he said until the situation there becomes clear and a number of key questions are answered, the future of the disease would not be known.

PTI