U.S. virus experts slam SARS panic

Reuters - alertnet.org ^ | 28 Apr 2003 | Maggie Fox

[ido_now]

What am I to do?

I've have cut off my nose, sold my house, killed everyone who looked like they might sneeze on me.

I thought this would make me safe!

Was someone not telling the truth?

[txhurl]

I pinged you (and Judith Anne) to this question, but in case you don't get to your pings today...

[Judith Anne]

Yes, I'm sure they would, but ss far as I know, most of the microbes and viruses are harmless comensals of mankind.

Most of the non-harmless ones can be washed off with soap and hot water, and/or hand sanitizer. Occasionally, I have heard, some bad ones can colonize on hands, under fingernails, in the creases of the fingers, in and around jewelry, such as MRSA.

A nurse should wash her hands as she comes into your room, and as she leaves it. So, imho, should the doctor. Hand sanitizer is considered an acceptable substitute, but it should be enough to wet the hands on all surfaces.

[Judith Anne]

Whoopsie! I misspelled "commensal." Sorry.

[txhurl]

Hey, I'm talkin' to you:

China reported nine new SARS deaths Monday and 203 new cases, the health ministry said.

The new virus first emerged in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong five months ago and has since spread around the world killing nearly 330 people and infecting over 5,000 (snip)

So, as of presstime yesterday there were ~5000 global cases and as of presstime today another 203, or ~5% of the cumulative global total were reported by the Chinee??

[EternalHope]

If SARS becomes bad in my area, I'll wear a mask when I go out to prevent unconscious contact of my hands with my mouth and nose.

I was overlooking that. Good advice.

[EternalHope]

This article says what I've been saying all along. SARS will be here to stay but will be easily treatable.

Where does the article say it will be easily treatable?

So far there is no known treatment. Steroids help with symptomatic issues, but not killing the virus.

[Nov3]

Since when does the Intensive Care Unit fit into a description of "easily treatable"?

LOL

[blam]

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you: "

LOL. I'm terrible in math, looks okay to me.

[EternalHope]

We will beat this... I just am not sure how many will die in the meantime.

I think that just about sums it up.

[friendly]

Why worry?

A) The virus is intensely infectious.

B)It kills 5% to 20%

C)Many of those recovered are severely disabled.

D) It mutates rapidly.

E) There is no vaccine or real treatment

[EternalHope]

Good list, but you left off:

F) You may be able to get it again and again.

[friendly]

You may be able to get it again and again.

Hope yoiu are wrong. Since it rapidly mutates (like the cold viruses it is closely related to) you may very well be correct.

[Judith Anne]

See how y'all are? Bothering people with those pesky facts...;-D

[txhurl]

Business Week (Asia copy) discusses it today:

It took three to six months after the July 2, 1997, crash of the Thai baht for the financial contagion to spread through East Asia. By contrast, three weeks after the first SARS-related death was reported in Hong Kong on Mar. 4, travel, tourism, and retail industries were in a tailspin from Singapore to Shanghai. Now, a pillar of Asia's economy -- the idea that astute buyers and sellers can roam the region, meet swiftly, cut deals, and make profits -- seems much more threatened than in the dark days of 1997. "Trade is the locomotive for growth in Asia, and that is done on a personal basis -- not by pressing buttons," says Chief Economist Bob McKee of London-based Independent Strategy, which advises investment banks and hedge funds. "All this is crashing to a halt." And the fount of Asian growth -- mainland China -- now faces the formidable task of containing a disease that could hammer its credibility among investors.

From here, if you can get there

[friendly]

As Sgt Friday of Dragnet used to ask: "The facts, Mam. Please, just the facts."

[harpseal]

I really do not know any exact figures. I do know some otherwise healthy people in their thirties and forties have died from this disease but I have no idea what the rates are for young healthy people. I also do not know of what the tteratment regimine should be but i am oresuming the medics are working that out. I do know that the best estimate of mortality for the disease is in the 15% range for those who have had the full course of the disease and either recovered or died.

[11th_VA]

6) HIV POSITIVE folks are gonna be in a world of hurt if they get SARS

[friendly]

Very bad news for the world economy.. The Hong Kong folks are suffering greatly for Mainland corruption and dishonesty. I suspect a vastly laerger nunber of deaths in the Mainland than have heretofore been revealed.

[11th_VA]

6 = F