But... this does give some insight into what would happen if a real smallpox outbreak occured.
Read all the stories about this. What I see over and over and over is authorities saying "yeah, I heard something about it somewhere. yeah, I guess we should look into it. Gee, but you know, it's probably nothing. Probaby just one of the other "poxes" that are around"
Which, again, is probably true. But what "if" there really were a terrorist screw up (an outbreak near where the terrorist are working on the weapon). Wouldn't it look just like this? Do we have to wait for WHO and the CDC to go an entire week or more while they simply rely on the fact that it is so improbable that it is smallpox?
The real story here is not the incorrect report of smallpox (if it is incorrect). The real story here is that you can depend on 1-2 week delay before any serious organiztion will look into a true smallpox outbreak. And that 1-2 week delay will doom us all.
That in and of itself is rather disturbing.
Other news:
Here are two examples of more believable stories:
1. "At least 156 people have died of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever during an outbreak that began in Uganda in September 2000."
2. "India warns of malaria epidemic, 73 dead."
a pox on all of you.
not that i care.
Dear Sirs:
A Pakistani newspaper called "Pakistani Dawn" has reported on its internet site (http://www.dawn.com/2002/06/09/local23.htm)that an outbreak of small pox has occured in Pakistan's Swabi province. Now the webzine World Net Daily (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=27912) has picked up this story and is publishing it. There are several articles about it on Free Republic's web site (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/698277/posts).
My thinking is that this is not true. If it is not an outright hoax, then it is misinformation.
Could somebody there let me know they are aware of these reports and assure us they are false? I would then relay this information back to all the respective web administrators. I'm sending this to you as part of my job is reviewing web information and teaching students how to asertain the varacity of web information. Lately this story has been a very hot topic.
Regards,
Alas Babylon!
They sent back a reply today, as follows:
Your inquiry is being answered by The CDC Public Response Service.
On international public health emergencies involving a country, normally CDC does not act until a request has been made by the Minister of Health for that country. CDC has not been contacted by the Minister of Health for Pakistan.
CDC has not been notified about a smallpox outbreak in Pakistan. The last naturally acquired case of smallpox occurred in 1977. In the United States, routine vaccination against smallpox ended in 1972. At this time, we have no information that suggests an imminent smallpox threat in Pakistan. There are a number of poxes that are sometimes mistakenly diagnosed as smallpox.
This rumor is being investigated by the World Health Organization. A smallpox outbreak has NOT been confirmed. There are a number of diseases that can be misdiagnosed as smallpox.
nk you for contacting the CDC. We hope this has been helpful. If you have any additional questions about bioterrorism, please call the CDC Public Response Service at 1-888-246-2675 or visit the CDC Bioterrorism web site at: www.bt.cdc.gov . Please feel free to reply with any additional questions to: cdcresponse@ashastd.org.
Desn't sound to me they are taking it seriously. Maybe they know it's a rumor?