Seasonality might indeed have influence on the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), as it is highly correlated with air temperature, air pressure and reduced solar radiation, said a senior WMO official.

M. Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), made the remarks at the 14th Session of the Commission for Climatology (CCI) of WMO opened here Thursday.

A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003 also showed the outbreak of SARS in China's Hong Kong coincided with a drop in temperature due to the earlier passage of a cold front.

"This is only preliminary conclusion which needs to be further testified," Mr. Jarraud said.

The Commission has also begun looking into the role of climate in the propagation of Avian Flu.

He suggested the commission expand its studies to the correlation between climate the spread of infectious disease, in addition to the influence of climate on the outbreak of SARS and avian flu.

The influence of climate on the extremely serious malaria, cholera, yellow fever, West Nile and Dengue fevers should also be included in the studies, he urged.

CCI is one of the eight technological commissions under the WMO and it holds a session every four years. The current session will last till November 10. Enditem