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Virus closes US army bases in Germany
Exatica.com ^
| Feb. 20, 2004
| DPA
Posted on 02/23/2004 2:47:02 PM PST by FairOpinion
MARBURG - A mysterious viral infection has forced military authorities in Germany to close four bases, ordering nearly 4,000 personnel and their dependents to stay home, authorities said Friday.
The bases Schwalmstadt, Schwarzenborn, Stadtallendorf and Neustadt will be closed for three weeks while the premises are disinfected.
"This is the worst single such infectious situation we've ever had," a Defence Ministry spokesman said Friday.
The viral epidemic began in Schwalmstadt in the central German state of Hesse, when 150 of the 800 personnel stationed there complained of inflamed and itching eyes.
The Bundeswehr closed that base last week. Just four days later, the same symptoms cropped up at nearby Neustadt, where all 800 service personnel were told to go home until further notice.
With some 14,000 troops stationed in Hesse, German military authorities became alarmed as two more bases were ordered closed.
"Something is being transmitted between these bases - food, laundry, books - something that people touch with their hands and then inadvertently transfer to their eyes," a spokesman said.
At the one base in the area that is still open, in Frankenberg, the base commander is confident the epidemic is waning.
"We have had just a dozen reported cases of eye infection out of a base population of 1,200," said Colonel Peter Richard, Frankenberg base commander. "We have launched hygiene drills and cleaning campaigns aimed at ensuring that this does not spread any further."
Bundeswehr medical officials note that infectious diseases are common at military bases due to the close confines of 1,000 or more men and women living and working together.
"This infection, however, is a definitely more stubborn than any we have seen in recent years," one military doctor told Deutsche Presse-Agentur
DPA Subject: German news
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bases; germany; healthcare; illness; infection; marburg; military; militarybases; mobytrolls; mystery; neustadt; schwalmstadt; schwarzenborn; stadtallendorf; virus
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To: FairOpinion
So our troops in Germany are under attack it appears.
61
posted on
02/23/2004 5:18:46 PM PST
by
ApesForEvolution
(FREE 3D Online Golf Game - Independent Reseller of the Week: http://egolfinternational.com/carmyap)
To: Palladin
Eschoir that's the name.
Brings back memories.
Well, there's nothing wrong with being forced to defend our turf.
62
posted on
02/23/2004 5:21:05 PM PST
by
billorites
(freepo ergo sum)
To: FairOpinion
I agree with you.
I've used that site before
and the news articles I
posted are credible and
I was able to find other
sources to back it up.
I'm just commenting
out loud as to how
I researched the story
and can't find any info
on any other source.
Just because I can't
find more articles
relating to this incident
doesn't mean it's not
credible.
We'll just have to wait
and see if more info
one way or the other
is forthcoming.
63
posted on
02/23/2004 5:46:59 PM PST
by
Cindy
Comment #64 Removed by Moderator
To: BabaOreally
Post #8 was the troll. He has been sending out FReepmails and spamming us with pings.
65
posted on
02/23/2004 6:37:16 PM PST
by
trussell
(Member: Viking Kitty Society;New Charter member: Troll Patrol...See EggsAckley for membership.)
To: onyx
The trolls are following you!
66
posted on
02/23/2004 6:39:48 PM PST
by
Ernest_at_the_Beach
(The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States - and war is what they got!!!!)
To: FairOpinion
Those Krauts up to something???
67
posted on
02/23/2004 6:41:39 PM PST
by
cynicom
To: BabaOreally
The comment that the moderator removed (#8) was from a troll.There were 4 or 5 today on several threads and in mail. Not quite as bad as yesterday. I think we're all going to have to get used to it for a while.
68
posted on
02/23/2004 6:48:47 PM PST
by
nuconvert
("Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.")
To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Tell me. They're following (stalking) all of us.
Damn idiots.
Way too much time on their hands.
69
posted on
02/23/2004 7:38:48 PM PST
by
onyx
(Your secrets are safe with me and all my friends.)
To: granudo
Can you ask Moby what inspired "South Side"? The lyrics are facinating.
70
posted on
02/23/2004 8:20:48 PM PST
by
Redcloak
(¡LIBERE EL QUESO! ¡LIBERE EL QUESO! ¡LIBERE EL QUESO! ¡LIBERE EL QUESO! ¡LIBERE EL QUESO!)
To: granudo
Ain't it time to quit the bottle and up the meds?
71
posted on
02/24/2004 5:36:11 AM PST
by
b4its2late
(Lord, If I can't be skinny, please let all my friends be fat.)
To: granudo
Can someone post the float of Clinton copping a feel on Lady Liberty?
72
posted on
02/24/2004 6:55:02 AM PST
by
50sDad
(OK, I give in. Visit my website! http://my.oh.voyager.net/~abartmes)
To: FairOpinion
The German media is barely pushing the story. We aren't talking about 100s of people here...its more like dozens of folks. They are being overly cautious. The US military isn't doing anything, nor has there been any upsurge.
To: pepsionice
i cant find anything on this story....may have to call a relative in germany one of the few that dont hate the USA....think they will blame this on gwb or the US???
74
posted on
02/24/2004 8:05:59 AM PST
by
rrrod
To: rrrod
In your opinion, how many Germans don't hate the US?
To: Prodigal Son
not worth my time to consider
76
posted on
02/24/2004 8:37:04 AM PST
by
rrrod
To: rrrod
Apparently, it is. Or you're lying when you speculate that your relative is one of the few Germans who don't hate America.
It doesn't surprise me that you wouldn't want to defend your remark though.
To: FairOpinion
MARBURG - A mysterious viral infection... Interesting footnote: Marburg is a city that suffered an outbreak of extremely virulent smallpox back in the '60s, IIRC.
To: Prince Charles
"Marburg is a city that suffered an outbreak of extremely virulent smallpox back in the '60s, IIRC."
===
I didn't know that. Then there is the Marburg virus, some other nasty virus, which started there.
I don't understand why there isn't any more news about this.
The news is from Feb. 20th and they said they closed the bases for 3 weeks!!!
79
posted on
02/24/2004 8:59:53 AM PST
by
FairOpinion
("America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country." --- G. W. Bush)
To: FairOpinion
My bad, that should be ebola, rather than smallpox. And I agree that it should be more widely known. It's like the soldiers dropping dead last summer from atypical pneumonia -- that one was not widely known either.
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