Posted on 06/13/2003 8:12:38 PM PDT by Lessismore
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:55:51 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- One of two patients being monitored in the Triangle for possible exposure to SARS died Friday. Preliminary tests from the Centers for Disease Control were negative. Meanwhile, dozens of people in the Triangle are under quarantine for possible exposure to SARS.
(Excerpt) Read more at wral.com ...
I'll await the final tests OR the autopsy before panicing ...
Several weeks? Why?
DID I not say 'OR an autopsy'?
Are you just waking up this evening?
"Overly cynical"
Call 'em up and ask them what the usual period is to get the results back from an autopsy ...
Wanna bet that there are certain lab tests they havce to send out and then wait on?
There are three different tests. If he died before his body made antibodies, it may be difficult to get a good test result.
I wonder how long it will take the CDC to classify it as a 'probable' case?
This was really bad... If I recall correctly, there was only very casual contact from the N.C. man and an ASYMPTOMATIC SARS case in Toronto, and when he returned he was still ASYMPTOMATIC when he went to work.
And isn't it true, there was NO contact between the Toronto traveller and his co-worker that died? ... That they simply shared the same workspace at different times? I'm sure we will hear all the gory details soon.
I'm sure we will hear all the gory details soon.
I do not share your confidence that the public health authorities in the USA will release this information in a timely manner.
Officials say the deceased was in the workplace with the original confirmed case; however, the confirmed did not have any SARS symptoms during that time.
In order to confirm there were NO symptoms medical personel would have had to be monitoring the original confirmed case while he was working normally in the building. Most people do not go to a doctor at the very first sign of a general malaise. Most people do not take their temperature every hour. How can anyone say the patient had NO symptoms at his workplace. further there is no proof that Asymptomatic infection is impossible with SARS. Further there is proof that the SARS virus can exist for a period of time on metal, wood, plastic and glass. Since the person was working in an office one may presume some of these materials were present.
Health care workers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are trying to ease people's fears about SARS. Workers were screened by health care workers Friday after a contractor in the building where they work was diagnosed with SARS.
Be calm no need to panic we have the situation under control. Never mindhow we have the situation uncer control just don't worry be happy.
The screenings took place under tents in a parking lot located near Horace Williams Airport. The tents were shielded by black tarp to protect the privacy of the employees and their family members.
The reason for the protection of the privacy is so that if someone does not follow recommended procedures for quarantine no one they come in contact will know and could be more subject to exposure?
By 5 p.m. Friday, 36 people took advantage of the screenings. Despite their concerns, the doctor running the screenings said he has not seen anything that looks like an active SARS case. Given the fact that we are dealing with incubation periods why is this fact significant?
"We're seeing some patients who have symptoms that worry (about) them and it is our job to reassure those patients that we can (treat them). And the other people who need more testing, we're referring them on," said Dr. James Larson.
Well the symptoms worry you don't worry we can treat you. What they do not say is there is no guarantee that if you do have SARS the treatment will do any good. Don't worry be happy. These statements by the medical personel may come back to bite them. If because I relied on their assurances I lost a member of my family to SARS there would be hell to pay.
Larson, who treated the Orange County SARS patient, said the health care workers are wearing face masks only when in a closed, confined space with those being screened. He also told WRAL the 10-day incubation period is over, but health care workers and others who were in contact with the man will continue to be monitored.
My question here is does this conform to the proper protocols in dealing with SARS. What if there is an undiagnosed case out there they do not know about. I note Toronto is still dealing with their current outbreak and there are a lot of questions about where teh index case for this outbreak was exposed.
UNC officials sent thermometers home with all employees to monitor their temperatures. Employees want the building scrubbed down, but UNC officials say they have been told by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention that there is no need to do that.
Scrubbing the building down seems like a reasonable hygenic measure n this case given the unknowns. No it is not proven there is a "need" for that measure yet but dismissing the measure on the basis of a need not yet having been proven does not make sense when there iis data that suggest there may be some benefit from doing this.
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