A species of coronary virus is mutating rapidly inside civet cats, disputed SARS virus carriers, and people should not lower their guard against the epidemic, said

Zhong Nanshan, China's leading Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) scientist.

The control of wildlife such as civet cats cannot be eased or the virus could be turned into a deadly one and cause another SARS epidemic, Zhong was quoted by Sunday's Beijing News Daily as saying.

Experts spotted four cases of the new SARS virus species in south China's Guangdong Province from 2003 to 2004 which carries almost the same DNA structure as the coronary virus in civet cats,Zhong said.

Researchers found the virus was mutating inside civet cats, while the SARS virus, also a kind of coronary virus, was also mutating inside SARS patients. They concluded that it was imperative for China to continue its rigid control of the wild animals.

"Facts have shown that the strict control over civet cat has helped prevent a SARS outbreak from happening this year in China. The country has been taking positive measures to reduce contact between human beings and the possible SARS carriers and has been developing effective SARS diagnosis reagents and vaccines," he said.

He did not agree with an experimental conclusion by an American scientist that the SARS virus has disappeared since it has not shown up since June last year.

Zhong, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, was newly appointed president of the Chinese Medical Association, thus becoming the second non-official head of the leading medical academic association in China. He is one of the leading scientists who helped control the spread of the SARS in China in 2003.