Posted on 04/12/2005 10:17:54 PM PDT by neverdem
Officials Race to Destroy Samples
A dangerous strain of the flu virus that caused a worldwide pandemic in 1957 was sent to thousands of laboratories in the United States and around the world, triggering a frantic effort to destroy the samples to prevent an outbreak, health officials revealed yesterday.
Because the virus is easily transmitted from person to person and many people have no immunity to it, the discovery has raised alarm that it could cause another deadly pandemic if a laboratory worker became infected, officials said.
As a result, health authorities were urgently working to make sure all samples are destroyed and to closely monitor anyone who may have come into contact with the virus for signs of illness, officials said.
"This virus could cause a pandemic," said Klaus Stohr, the World Health Organization's top flu expert. "We are talking about a fully transmissible human influenza virus to which the majority of the population has no immunity. We are concerned."
Although no infections have been reported, and the chances of infection are probably low, the potential consequences are so grave that urgent steps were necessary, he said.
"If a laboratory accident were to occur, a person could become infected. If that happened, that person would likely fall ill and he or she could infect somebody else. And that could mark the beginning of a global outbreak," Stohr said.
WHO is working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and other national health agencies to contain the situation, he said, adding that "the level of concern about this virus is very high."
The virus, known as an H2N2 strain, killed 1 million to 4 million people worldwide in 1957 and 1958, including about 70,000 in the United States. Because the virus has not circulated in the....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
ping
Must be the same crap I just got over. Kansas Crud type A.
This would be funny .....were it not such an amazingly insane goofup! Goodness.
The scientists will end up killing us all.
"Although no infections have been reported, and the chances of infection are probably low, the potential consequences are so grave that urgent steps were necessary, he said."
I'm willing to bet that this is a 50 year old report, brushed up and re-articulated to promote terror.
Not all terrorists are blatent ... some are very, very devious.
Don't forget, this is the comPOST.
Who handled the shipping-Morons R Us?
What source would you prefer? Here's Google
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
BS I remember when the Russian government was seeking samples of this flu virus purely for research purposes. I do not beleive that it was accidently anything. There is far too much terror involved. Nice interesting line though. Containment was absolute. Don't kid yourself into thinking it was accidently mailed with you circulars. It was not.
Probably a democrat. Since that's typically their mentality factor.
If you really want to be scared they dug flu victims out of the Alaskan tundra from a period of time and a flu epedimic that should scare you. I don't really think it was for research into a vaccine. They did manage to get live virus. Now was it for research or germ warfare?
It's 8AM on a beautiful fall day ... I've arrived at work, all signed in and white frocked and when I get to me work station I see a memo to take samples of XYZ, in the 'fridge since '57, and send samples all over the planet.
Ordinarilly, I wouldn't give two hoots about a memo like this, but hey ... I'm just a lab tech.
So I take samples of something that hasn't been around since '57 and package them up with all the proper safety measures and send them off.
If I do approach my super and ask WTF, ... what kind of an answer did I get?
I don't know, it seems to me that many more people than a super and a tech. were involved in whatever reason prompted this act, and that is why a fearful report like this is suspect.
(Now, if Igor really is in sole charge of this kind of stuff ... we're in a whole lot more trouble than a nasty cold ... you betcha'.)
I sure feel like I am about to die. I have not felt this sick in ages....just pure hell. Some really nasty bug is going around here right now.
LOL! We are in trouble.
You're scarring me. I don't want to grow up and face reality:) Seriously, you may be right. It's just that I've worked in hospitals and have seen too much incompetence.
Gotta be Kansas Crud type A. Get lots of rest, drink lots of liquids and take vitamin C. I supect you will be scared you will die and afraid you won't.
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