by Simon 34 Replies latest social current
SARS, the new deadly virus that seems to be spreading quickly round the world, is very worrying but is not getting much attention I think because of the war.
Scientists have been saying for some times that we are overdue for a pandemic of Spanish Flu proportions and this could be it !
In just a few days / weeks it seems to have reached most major countries, infected thousands and killed more people than the Iraqi's have.
Should we be concerned?
Hey Simon,it gets alot of coverage over here..There`s always something about it on our news programs..This may become the new plague,it can be very deadly...OUTLAW
Its recovery rate so far is higher than the common flu, so it's not really that big a concern. The news media blew it out of proportion because it was 'new'.
It's getting plenty of attention in Canada. Four people have died in Toronto of SARS, and now it's affecting children. The hospital where I work has implemented procedures for keeping visitors out, keeping exits and entrances monitored and screening anyone entering the building. It's front-page news here, and the top story of every news broadcast.
Some of my colleagues and I were commenting on the timing of the outbreaks in North America compared to the invasion of Iraq by the US. Coincidence?
Love, Scully
the media is giving SARS third billing here. 1st is Iraq and 2nd is pro and anti war demonstrations.
1) They haven't yet determined the epidemiology of the virus;
2) No anti-viral medicine works against SARS;
3) There is unconfirmed speculation that the virus may have already mutated into a more virulent form;
4) An international airliner from Tokyo was quarantined today after arrival in San Jose, California:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/893950.asp?0cv=CB10
5) The US Center for Disease Control has already set up a substantial page on their website about SARS:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/
If they're worried, I'm worried.
Craig
It's a bit of a storm in a tea-cup, when you take ALL factors into account:
Steph, from your url:
In the U.S., 40 people have been hospitalized with SARS. Deaths? Zero.
Out of date. I don't have a link, but I believe that there have now been at least 2 deaths in the US attributed to SARS.
Also, from the World Health Organization site( http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr23/en/ ):
“This syndrome, SARS, is now a worldwide health threat,” said Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director General of the World Health Organization. “The world needs to work together to find its cause, cure the sick, and stop its spread.”
This may be a tempest in a teacup...but, maybe not.
Craig
Not to sound paranoid, but is it possible that this could be the result of a biological experiment gone awry? Could something have been released accidently (or not) into the public? With all the focus on Iraq's build up of weapons of mass destruction (i.e., chemical and biological weapons) is it possible that an Asian country was making an attempt to upgrade their biological stockpile?
There is no evidence of any of this, but I do find this whole event somewhat curious.
See, this is what I mean!
Media hype and hysteria, and the next thing you know it's the black plague.
1) It's NOT as contagious as the 'common flu'
2) Its RECOVERY RATE (that means, the number of people who get it, it runs its course, and get better vs the number of people who get it, it runs it course, and die) is HIGHER that the 'common flu'
It's well known that every year a new strain of the flu virus makes its way around the world, hundreds die, almost everyone gets it, and the world moves on. (Course, granted, a year or two ago the media DID manage to get everyone in a hysteria about the common flu, too, and everyone was running of getting vaccinated).
Unless you are very young, or very old, or in poor health, it takes a whopper of a virus to take a human down. (Like, say, AIDS) This isn't it. It'll be widespread, it'll kill a lot of the elderly, sick, and young, and it'll go away. Just like every other virus.
