Posted on 03/31/2003 2:13:58 PM PST by ex-Texan
Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand Treat Killer Virus Like Bio-Weapon
There were many breaking stories about the mystery killer flu virus this past weekend. NewsPundit made the decision to sit tight and to wait before we posted more reports about this major Asian flu virus. Many reports in the international press today read like rehashes of earlier reports.
But we noticed over the weekend that many news agencies and their reporters were logging on to NewsPundit to read our unique take on this new killer pneumonia bug.
The disease is spreading worldwide much faster than expected. While some news sources are still reporting last week's totals as "accurate," there are some reports leaking out with much higher totals. Voice of America reported today that the disease now has appeared suddenly in at least 15 countries and there are at least 1,700 known cases of the killer virus. At least 60 people have been killed by the virus. That report was also the first report that admitted that the killer virus was officially being labeled an "epidemic." (March 31, 2003)
While there is no definitive word yet on the number of people infected there are disturbing signs that officials are treating the virus as though it might be a bio-weapon. First the highlights:
Australia announced today that it may bar re-entry of citizens visiting Asia (April 1, 2003).
Singapore has placed 1,700 people under quarantine and instituted severe penalties for violations (March 31, 2003).
Hong Kong authorities have quarantined about 200 people in a block of apartments. But dozens of families fled untraced into that vast city trying to escape quarantine. (March 31, 2003)
New Zealand decides to invoke its Notfiable Disease Law which empowers heath authorities to forcibly detain and quarantine anyone suspected of being a carrier of the disease. There are approximately 500 N.Z. travelers due back today from rugby football matches in China. (April 1, 2003)
Time.com Reports Hong Kong and Singapore look like they are being threatened with a biological-weapons attack. (March 31, 2003).
I quote briefly from the Time Article and urge all NewsPundit readers to read that very long report. (It is my hope that by doing so we will help educate the public about how dangerous this mystery disease truly may be):
Hong Kong now looks like a city under threat of biological-weapons attack. Almost overnight the streets have filled with people wearing surgical and industrial face masks, as if shopping malls and subway stations had suddenly morphed into vast hospital wards. Convenience-store clerks, shopkeepers, bus drivers and even TV talk-show hosts are wearing masks, the latter while on camera. Doctors say the devices can hamper the spread of the disease by corralling coughs and sneezes and by preventing people from touching their noses and mouths. Even transit companies and political parties are handing masks out on the street by the thousands, helping calm citizens who are searching for any incremental advantage over this little-known stalker. * * *
Frankly, I just hope that the authorities have acted swiftly and surely enough to stop the spread of this deadly killer virus.
My question today for Toronto health authorities:
When people lock themselves inside their homes as a voluntary quarantine, will they receive the emergency heath care required to properly treat the deadly pneumonia (SARS)? . . .
Now that the hospitals have locked their doors to new patients and are treating mostly their staffs and relatives of staff members. I was just wondering . . . . ?
(Excerpt) Read more at newspundit.net ...
Why can't we spread some of this around in Iraqi??
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