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Three more SARS cases in India
The Hindu ^ | 2003-04-26

Posted on 04/26/2003 8:51:44 AM PDT by Lessismore

New Delhi, April 26. (PTI): With three more persons testing positive for the SARS virus in the country, the number of such cases has gone up to seven, Health Ministry officials said here today.

Of the three freshly confirmed cases, one is being treated in Kasturba Hospital, Mumbai and the other two in Apollo Hospital, Kolkata and Naidu Hospital, Pune, officials added.


TOPICS: Front Page News
KEYWORDS: asymptomatic; india; kolkata; mumbai; pune; sars; southasia
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1 posted on 04/26/2003 8:51:44 AM PDT by Lessismore
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To: Lessismore
The hints of SARS starting to break loose in India have been drifting about for a week or so.
2 posted on 04/26/2003 8:55:36 AM PDT by per loin
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To: per loin
There was a story that there may be a showing of some sort of immunity on the subcontinent, any more on that?
3 posted on 04/26/2003 8:57:53 AM PDT by riri
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To: per loin
The Mumbai (Bombay) and Pune cases just reported may be related to the traveler from Jakarta in the following story. However, the Kolkata (Calcutta) case seems different.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=44540813

India reports fifth SARS case in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A 40-year-old man has tested positive for the SARS virus, authorities said on Saturday, the country's fifth case of the disease that has killed more than 270 people worldwide and infected around 4,800.

The man is the uncle of a Jakarta-based Indian restaurant manager, who travelled home to attend his sister's wedding last week and was diagnosed with SARS in Pune, said Dr B.P. Gaikwad, Pune's deputy director of health services.

"His sample tested positive yesterday. But he has no symptoms at all. He is just a carrier of the virus at this stage," Gaikwad told Reuters by phone, adding that the uncle had been in close contact with the nephew during preparations for the wedding.

The bride and the mother were also infected by the virus but the bride insisted on getting married in a church despite pleas from doctors. Twenty-five guests, including the uncle, were quarantined in Pune after the wedding.

Symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) include high fever, a dry cough and difficulty in breathing.

Some doctors have expressed fears SARS could spread rapidly in India due to its congested cities and overstretched health system. But government officials have played down chances of SARS becoming an epidemic in India.

4 posted on 04/26/2003 9:07:56 AM PDT by Lessismore
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: seamole
M.O.O.N. that spells SCARY.
6 posted on 04/26/2003 9:11:04 AM PDT by desertsolitaire (Desert solitaire)
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To: seamole
Alas, Babylon.
7 posted on 04/26/2003 9:11:28 AM PDT by desertsolitaire (Desert solitaire)
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To: per loin
What is also somewhat odd is that even though the SARS in India is attributed to a traveler from Jakarta, the WHO report only has one case in Indonesia. Of course, it only has one case in India as well . . .
8 posted on 04/26/2003 9:12:05 AM PDT by Lessismore
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To: Lessismore
"What is also somewhat odd is that even though the SARS in India is attributed to a traveler from Jakarta"

The problem is definition.

A Brit (Chinese) was the first official case here. He subsequently left.

As with our shoebomber, nationality means nothing,

IF YOU ARE WHITE.

10 posted on 04/26/2003 9:21:26 AM PDT by Jakarta ex-pat
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To: Lessismore
three more persons testing positive for the SARS virus

I know that there are a few tests under investigation. But would an Indian hospital be likely to have one?

11 posted on 04/26/2003 9:22:08 AM PDT by Steve Eisenberg
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To: Lessismore; Enemy Of The State; Judith Anne; Mother Abigail; CathyRyan; per loin; Dog Gone; ...
So far, for whatever reason, all the people diagnosed with SARS in India have recovered pretty easily. There was a thread a couple of days ago speculating why.
12 posted on 04/26/2003 9:25:37 AM PDT by aristeides
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To: aristeides
The same is true in America.
13 posted on 04/26/2003 9:29:20 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Steve Eisenberg
Statesman News Service

NEW DELHI, April 25. – Health authorities today cautioned doctors in states to be watchful when sending samples to government laboratories to test for SARS as reagents are very expensive. But this should not act as a deterrent to doctors who suspect they have a SARS case on their hands. Health ministry officials said: “The situation does not call for knee-jerk reactions and sending samples of everyone who reports with cold, fever and chest congestion... Even today, three-four samples have been received from Gurgaon.

We are not geared up for this,” Dr Shiv Lal, National Institute of Communicable Diseases director, said at a symposium on emerging disorders organised by Delhi Medical Association. The primer used for SARS tests is very expensive: “It costs between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 for a test.”

The Director-General of Health Services, Dr SP Agarwal, said there was still no change in status from yesterday, that is there are four confirmed cases and no probable cases of SARS. Authorities confirmed that there were still several questions remaining unanswered about the disease including all the the methods by which it spreads.

The Delhi Medical Association has set up a task force to coordinate with the government and private practitioners to combat SARS. DMA president Dr Anil Bansal said a seven member task-force would frame guidelines for general practitioners and specialists to diagnose and treat new diseases like SARS.

This task force will educate the medical fraternity every month about diseases which could emerge or re-emerge or occur because of seasonal variation.

14 posted on 04/26/2003 10:50:31 AM PDT by per loin
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To: riri
I saw a statement in the Indian press, that I believe came from a government health official, that SARS weakened by the fourth generation of transmission. I have no idea where he got that.
15 posted on 04/26/2003 10:55:03 AM PDT by per loin
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To: Lessismore
From Reuters:

The latest case, in the eastern city of Calcutta, was in a man who had traveled to China for business earlier this month. He had come to Calcutta from Bombay on a domestic flight last week, health officials said.

"His blood reports are positive for SARS. He had a fever and a slight cough," Dr. Pushpa Moitra, principal at the Infectious Diseases hospital in Calcutta told Reuters.

16 posted on 04/26/2003 10:59:38 AM PDT by per loin
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To: seamole
Lucky India. Looks like they scored a superinfector.

I believe the correct term is "Super Spreader" ;-)

17 posted on 04/26/2003 11:54:23 AM PDT by Nov3
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To: Lessismore
MY LYING $10.00 CALUCATOR

As per your request, I do not shout anymore.

Yes I make up everything which I post with my little $10.00 calculator.

I am sure that the CDC, WHO or the Government is beyond such things. I list below what I made up with my calculator.

It has been reported, and it seems reasonable to me, that there are 50,000 deaths each year in the USA due to Influenza (Pneumonia). If this is the case then this follows by mathematics:

1. I assume that the world’s population is 6.0 billion (probably 6.4 billion, but just increase these numbers by 6.67% if you like).
2. If the world’s population is 6.0 billion, and if the USA has a population of 280 million, than the world has a population 21.429 times larger than the USA.
3. If the 50,000 figure for the USA is correct then:
4. Daily Cases And Deaths USA (Assuming a 5% mortality rate):

Daily: Cases – 2739.720 and Deaths – 136.986
Period 30 Days: Cases – 82,191.600 and Deaths – 2,739.720
Annual: Cases – 999,997.800 and Deaths – 49,999.90 (Rounding Again)

5. Daily Cases And Deaths World ( Assuming a 5% mortality rate). Probably need to increase these numbers by a factor of at least by 2 to 5 since the rest of the world has almost no health system:

Daily: Cases – 58,709.460 and Deaths – 2,935.473
Period 30 Days: Cases 246,574.800 and Deaths - 88,064.190
Annual: Cases – 21,428,952.900 and Deaths – 1,071,477.742

6. If as you suggest that the death rate is 0.01% and not the 5% which I choose as representative, then of course the number of deaths remains the same but the number of cases increases by a factor of 500. Therefore, these would be the numbers which my $10.00 calculator reveals for the Cases for the USA and the World:

Daily Cases: USA – 1,369.860.000 World – 29, 354,730.000
Period 30 Days: USA – 41,095,800.000 World – 123,287,400.000
Annual: USA 499,998.900 World – 10,714.476,450.000

7. There is one unfortunate result if I accept your number of a 0.01% death rate. On an annual basis it would exceed the USA and World population by a factor of 1.785. That’s 78.5% more than the entire population of the USA and the World. Since I have not gotten SARS or Pneumonia recently, a lot of people are in “Deep Do-Do” if you are correct. In fact they can look forward to getting sick with this “stuff” a number of times, if my calculator is correct.

8. My suggestion to you all is to see how long you all can hold you breath.

9. Cheer-e-oh, you all.

18 posted on 04/26/2003 12:07:51 PM PDT by ido_now
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To: seamole
Now the question is why he was tested if he hasn't show symptoms?
19 posted on 04/26/2003 12:44:54 PM PDT by Zipporah
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To: per loin
The primer used for SARS tests is very expensive: “It costs between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 for a test.”

$200. Not too bad, especially as it should come down quickly as test volume gears up.

Checking on google, my impression is that there is no commonly used test yet in the US, perhaps because our standards are high, but that other countries seem to feel that what is already out there is good enough. Are they right? See:

Finland takes SARS test into use

20 posted on 04/26/2003 12:45:09 PM PDT by Steve Eisenberg
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