Virus closes US army bases in Germany

Exatica.com ^ | Feb. 20, 2004 | DPA

[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

[ApesForEvolution]

So our troops in Germany are under attack it appears.

[billorites]

Eschoir that's the name.

Brings back memories.

Well, there's nothing wrong with being forced to defend our turf.

[Cindy]

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.

[trussell]

Post #8 was the troll. He has been sending out FReepmails and spamming us with pings.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The trolls are following you!

[cynicom]

Those Krauts up to something???

[nuconvert]

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.

[onyx]

Tell me. They're following (stalking) all of us.

Damn idiots.

Way too much time on their hands.

[Redcloak]

Can you ask Moby what inspired "South Side"? The lyrics are facinating.

[b4its2late]

Ain't it time to quit the bottle and up the meds?

[50sDad]

Can someone post the float of Clinton copping a feel on Lady Liberty?

[pepsionice]

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.

[rrrod]

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???

[Prodigal Son]

In your opinion, how many Germans don't hate the US?

[rrrod]

not worth my time to consider

[Prodigal Son]

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.

[Prince Charles]

MARBURG - A mysterious viral infection...

Interesting footnote: Marburg is a city that suffered an outbreak of extremely virulent smallpox back in the '60s, IIRC.

[FairOpinion]

"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!!!

[Prince Charles]

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.