SARS REACHES HONG KONG SCHOOLS - 32 NEW CASES (IS THE BUG OUT OF THE BOX?)

CHANNEL NEWS ASIA ^ | 03-21-03 | AMY OR

[Mother Abigail]

21 March 2003 2046 hrs (SST) 1246 hrs (GMT)

32 more victims infected with SARS in Hong Kong 

By Amy Or

The Hong Kong government says it has contained the atypical pneumonia virus in the territory, but 32 more people have fallen victim to the deadly virus. The suspension of accident and emergency services at the Prince of Wales Hospital continues for another week.

The decision came after eight more healthcare personnel there fell sick with atypical pneumonia. This brings the total number struck by the virus to 197.

"We've contained the spread among primary contacts, trying to contain secondary contacts," said Yeoh Eng-kiong, Hong Kong's secretary for health, welfare and food.

China has repeatedly refused to link local cases of the outbreak to its southern Guangdong province. But the World Health Organization says preliminary studies confirm such a connection.

It has been confirmed that children are also victims of the illness.

One school on Hong Kong island had sent a Secondary 2 student to hospital as she showed flu-like symptoms. It was later found that her mother was also sick with atypical pneumonia.

Six students from four other schools have been hospitalized.

In the face of the increasing number of students suspected or confirmed to have contracted the disease, the Education Department has issued guidelines on preventive measures and is updating parents on the situation.

And officials held a briefing to 200 teachers in the territory, reminding them to report any abnormalities.

[Black Agnes]

Kansas...

Kansas SARS?

[aristeides]

I ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant in D.C. last night. I may not do so again for a few weeks.

[Domestic Church]

I'm not buying it either...bet it's really in the thousands.

[kiwibird]

My daugher is travelling to London next week and has a 6 hour stopover in Hong Kong.They have an airport hotel room for the duration of their stay.I would love some suggestions on any precautions she could take to protect herself both in Hong Kong and on the flight.

[theFIRMbss]

>SARS

"Looking for a cause

"CDC is working with other laboratories to find the cause of the disease. Labs in Germany and Hong Kong have found patients harboring particles of what appear to be paramyxoviruses -- responsible for such common illnesses as mumps and measles -- which they say may turn out to be the cause.

"It also includes a subfamily of viruses that can be transmitted between animals and people."

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Is this the sequel
to AIDS? It surely acquired
its acronym fast...

[aristeides]

ABC Radio news just reported: 22 cases in U.S.

[CathyRyan]

I am afraid this is the real war.

[CathyRyan]

ProMED-Mail UPDATE

[CathyRyan]

New ProMED-Mail UPDATE

[Petronski]

I rode the tank in the General's rank
When the Blitzkrieg ran and the bodies stank

[CathyRyan]

New ProMED UPDATE

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1000

[Mother Abigail]

Is this the sequel to AIDS? It surely acquired its acronym fast..."

I suppose this is as good a time as any to deal with this entire complex set of questions.

Are we chasing ghosts? Is it possible that, like in the AIDS epidemic, we are looking at the residual effect of a compromised immune system? Is the finding of paramyxoviruses in the victims an artifact?

Yes...

We must not rule out a systemic failure, caused by agents unknown, that allows the system to pick up particles of common viruses - which are then detected in laboratory analysis.

Is "Fast AIDS" a possibility? Oh yes my friend...

[riri]

The data will not support the facts. What seems more and more likely is that there is a large reservoir of pathogen in the Hong Kong area, being passed in close proximity via airborne droplets

Well, I guess the question begs. Saddam or North Korea?

[twntaipan]

Do you mean you think the number should be far higher if it is as contagious as feared?

[Freedom2specul8]

Just heard about a case in kansas..

[twntaipan]

If it is a Cantonese restaurant, and if genuinely lots of Chinese people eat there (there are many "Chinese" restaurants in the USA that a self-respecting Chinese won't eat in because it is not the real deal), you are probably prudent.

[Mother Abigail]

You pose a very hard question to me.

After some thought, I have decided to respond in as honest a manner as possible.

First I suggest you get other opinions, your family physician, local health authorities, etc.

As to my opinion, under no circumstances would I or my loved ones go to Hong Kong. It is ground zero in a very nasty outbreak.

All airlines are making accommodations to passengers because of SARS. Change their route or cancel.

Remember this is just the opinion of some anonymous poster on the internet.

[Mother Abigail]

Lots of regular people coughing in crowds..

[riri]

Yikes. So in your opinion, which I value, but won't hold you to, on a scale of one to ten (one being nothing to worry about and ten being civilization ender) where would you put this...knowing what you know at this point?

[Mother Abigail]

Country: Cumulative no. case(s) / no. deaths/ local transmission

Canada: 9 / 2 / yes China: +

Germany: 1 / 0 / none*

Hong Kong SAR China: 203 / 6** / yes

Italy: 1 / 0 / none*

Republic of Ireland: 1 / 0 / none*

Singapore: 39 / 0 / yes

Slovenia: 1 / 0 / none*

Spain: 1 / 0 / none*

Switzerland: 7 / 0 / to be determined

Taiwan, China: 6 / 0 / yes

Thailand: 4 / 0 / to be determined

United Kingdom: 2 / 0 / none*

United States: 13 / 0 / to be determined

Viet Nam: 62 / 2 / yes Total 350 / 10