Ninth person dies of mystery disease as WHO warns world heath threat spread by air travel

The Star (Malaysia) / AP ^ | 3/16/2003 | Margie Wilson

[EdReform]

BTTT

[CathyRyan]

This is a good site for info update. It looks like this is spread through direct and long contact and not be casual contact.

Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of CDC, said in a news conference yesterday [today - 15 Mar 2003] that it appeared to take direct and sustained contact to transmit the illness from an affected individual to other people. "There is no evidence to suggest that this can be spread through brief contact or assemblages of large numbers of people," she said.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:130396420390527236::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,20977

[Sal]

Hope it's not terrorism of some sort. But then, why would they target east Asia, where most of the deaths have been?

It's probably just another horrible disease arising naturally, but, if it turns out to be terrorism, I can think of two good reasons for starting it there.

1) If your own people get sick first, who's going to blame you for starting it?

2) Air travel can spread it anywhere very quickly. The infected doctor was heading to NYC. Even if the spread can be limited by quick action and quarrantine, who wants to be one of the few to get it and die? Are you going to get on a plane right now? I'm not. How much would it take to finish off our already wounded air industry? The economy is a MAJOR target

[pitinkie]

"Issued a health alert to hospitals and clinicians on Saturday, March 15." My husbands Hospital not notified. He didn't know til I told him this AM. Feel safe with our health system?

[pfflier]

But then, why would they target east Asia, where most of the deaths have been?

They are infidels too to the peaceful religion of Islam. Terrorism knows no bounds

[CathyRyan]

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:130396420390527236::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,20977

[Petronski]

Reported cases have come from Canada and 6 countries in Asia — Hong Kong
and elsewhere in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam, the health organization said. There have been no reports of the
illness in the United States. But yesterday [today - 15 Mar 2003], an ill
passenger and 2 companions who traveled from New York City were removed
from a flight after it arrived in Frankfurt and put in isolation in a
German hospital.

The ill passenger is a doctor from Singapore who treated one of the
earliest cases there, and who flew to a medical meeting in New York City,
said Dick Thompson, a WHO spokesman. The doctor may have gone to a hospital
in New York — the agency is not certain which one — before flying back to
Singapore via Frankfurt with his wife and another doctor. Before boarding
the flight, the doctor called a colleague in Singapore to describe his
symptoms, and the colleague notified WHO.

[Petronski]

The organization issued an alert to health officials worldwide, advising them of the illness, which the agency described as an "atypical pneumonia," and asking them to report new cases. In addition to the breathing problems, the illness causes a dry cough and other flulike symptoms. The symptoms seem to develop within four to five days after exposure and start with a high fever followed by muscle aches, headache and sore throat. Among the survivors, "no one has gotten well yet," said Dr. David Heymann, a top expert in communicable diseases at the WHO. "It is not clear what is going on, and it is not clear what the extent of spread will be."

[sytole]

The Globe and Mail reported the 9th confirmed case in Canada this morning.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030315.udead0315/BNStory/National

[Petronski]

What a lovely bit of news on a fine Sunday morning: that horrible 'superflu' has formed a cluster a mere four hours from my home, in Toronto. Lovely.

[reillyoburbank]

I've been DXing for quite some time now. I've got a YB400 and I love it. Had it for about 8 years. The other day I was listening to CRI (china radio international) and they did a peice on the "peace demonstrations". Of course their spin was how the "majority" of people in America have taken to the street in protest of President Bush's "unjust" war.

[sytole]

Yes, I'm a bit concerned about it. This latest case is the first one outside the family of those infected. Raises some questions about just how easy it is to transmit!

[keats5]

"Wonder if that guy in Connecticut still has his house wrapped in plastic? Not relevant...just wondering"

Fat can kill you, ya know.

[oceanperch]

My son has a trach which in the Medical Realm is like an open door to bugs.

However he has only had two times that he picked something up (in the 5yrs that he has had his trach).

Both times it was while he was having day surgery for something else. So he picked it up at the Hospital.

Living in a small community we get bugs that hit everyone but he never picks anything up and he is out there.

The Drs. say it is his great hygeine.

I say it is a combination of hygeine and he never was one all his 24yrs to catch colds. Neither of us.

The worse thing is when he goes out to a club and inhales the smoke all night he thickens up but he can cough up to 15ft. and he is able to clear out the next day.

So stay home for this bug? Not untill it hits your community and if you are susceptible to colds/bugs yeah.

I sure wouldn't let him go to any hospitals or care centers if this bug was around.

[oceanperch]

Relax. We deal with this type of thing first hand and hygeine and level of care has everything to do with it.

[oceanperch]

Totally agree.

[Petronski]

All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain
We can be like they are

Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby I'm your man...

Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity...
Romeo and Juliet

40,000 men and women everyday... Like Romeo and
Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday... Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday...We can be like they are

Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby I'm your man...

Love of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn't go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared
Saying don't be afraid

Come on baby... And she had no fear
And she ran to him... Then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodbye
She had become like they are
She had taken his hand
She had become like they are

Come on baby...don't fear the reaper

[oceanperch]

I posted a thread on that and a follow up.

It was a normal fatality rate according to CDC for the number of cases in that area. It died out on it's own.

Big thing folks wash your hands so easy.

My son's innercannula is cleaned three times a day with a hydro peroxide/salt saline solution and rinsed in hot water along with cleaning the trach site several times a day and washing my hands or wearing sterile gloves so as not to introduce anything.

Hygeine Hygeine Hygeine People.

[oceanperch]

Blue Oyster Cult?

[Mamzelle]

Notice that it is just unstated and expected that nurses and docs will sacrificially expose themselves. What if they didn't?