Beijing breaks silence -- Reveals 797 are ill and 34 dead from mystery virus

Straits Times ^ | 2003-03-26 | By Chua Chin Hon

[Dog Gone]

The Chinese also denied that AIDS was in their country for years. The Chinese have not exactly been the most transparent country in terms of health information.

[ruready4eternity]

The PLAGUES are unleashed and there is no idea How many of these Chinese will Die? Could there be a JUDGEMET by GOD on this godless nation?

[irish guard]

ruh roh

[vetvetdoug]

I suspected as much. This virus/viruses are way too virulent to not have affected a significant number of individuals in China. The infectivity is high, morbidity high, mortality low and is spreading like wildfire.

[pipecorp]

Given these statistics, china can not say anything about the casualties in iraq. Who's the real terrorists of the world?

[RightWhale]

Could there be a JUDGEMET by GOD on this godless nation?

China loses more people from a 5.2 earthquake and many times more from annual floods. If tobacco were the evil our legislators have voted that it is, all the Chinese would be dead of lung cancer by now.

[ruready4eternity]

Never thought of that But you may be right. God will use any Idiots foolish mistakes hehee

[yonif]

I lived in China for 2 years 1999-2001. I am glad I am not there right now.

[Paleo Conservative]

Actually this is a much more serious problem than the war. The coalition of the willing will win, it's just a matter of will and time. This disease has the potential to become a pandemic like the Spannish flu in 1918.

[ruready4eternity]

Well. The origin of this could be from anything and "ANYONE" maybe a CROP DUSTER? hehe :)) China practising first on their own for future use somewhere else

[Lessismore]

SARS appears to have some very nasty characteristics. It is spread by droplets from coughing. It can be spread from persons before they exhibit symptoms. It takes about 7 days from infection to symptoms.

The fact that so many health professionals are contracting it means that it is highly communicable. The fact that it is spreading somewhat slowly is due to extreme infection control.

The mortality seems similar to Spanish flu. However, there are a lot of patients who have been in hospital for a long time and who are being treated intensively with supportive care. As the cases multiply, this will overload the health care system, treatement will become less supportive, and mortality rates will climb.

It seems likely that mortality of several percent could occur on a world-wide epidemic average.

Its likely to render "the social security deficit" and "health care for the elderly" moot points politically.

[Mother Abigail]

Thanks for the Ping

Lots of news today...

[Mother Abigail]

I appreciate your recent posts,

The more information we can gather the better off we will all be


Regards

[Lessismore]

Thank you. This is a bit of a worry.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Learned quickly riding a bus to carry paper towels for the ailing. It's a nice thing to do and teaches the luggish to contain their illnesses. Other than going Japanese and wearing face-filters what else can you do?

[aristeides]

I suspect these figures too are too low.

[Mother Abigail]

Well it is a start, the true scope of China's problem will no doubt come to light in the near future.

Let us hope it is not as bleak as we fear..