China admits Sars may spread out of control

The Independent -UK ^ | 22 April 2003 | Cahal Milmo

[Bluewave]

Unfortunately, the sailor gives it to a few dozen hookers on their way to truck stop, the trucker gives it to the groceryman, the neighbor's daughter catches it from the produce manager's son, she passes it to my grandkids while baby sitting, grandma gets sick while tending the babies, and tragedy hits my family and millions of others.

The seriousness of this disease is difficult to imagine and yet, it is one or two encounters away from reality!

It is time to demand a professional and effective response from the CDC and the Federal Government. As much as I dislike the intrusiveness of the Federal Government, we need it now.

[Beck_isright]

Actually that is the proper role of the Federal government as envisioned by the framers. However I am very suspect of any information we get about this disease. I think that if there was a sudden announcement of 1000 cases in a particular community in the US, it would cripple the economy for a decade. I can see this outbreak being kept off of the front page in the US as long as possible.

[Judith Anne]

If it would just give out more accurate information and stop with the "suspect" and "probable" classifications, I'd be a little happier with the CDC and the feds. In addition, the locations would be nice, instead of just giving the state and maybe the county.

I don't think we're getting accurate information from the CDC, it's as politicized here as the health ministry in the PRC, imho.

[henderson field]

Quite right. Wal-Mart will have empty shelves. Then what? We'll have to make the products in America and Congress will be against that.

[zarf]

China should tell the truth about it's AIDS casualty list as well.

[InShanghai]

This is a bit ridiculous, but found on the Guardian

...one of the scientists who discovered the HIV virus warned yesterday of a looming health catastrophe if Sars combines with Aids.

100 more Sars cases in Beijing

[henderson field]

Yep, there's a lot of confusion out there. Personally, I thought it was "Clinton announces that we're all going to die." What a genius.

[Bluewave]

SARS is being treated by the Chinese as a political problem and they are being severely critized.

The world wide economic implications are grave indeed. We are beginning to see a crumbling of lofty ideas for a unified world with free trade.

We will defnitely shoot the messenger on this one, but it is a message worth dying for, because in the end we will die if we don't get the message.

[Beck_isright]

"We will defnitely shoot the messenger on this one, but it is a message worth dying for, because in the end we will die if we don't get the message."

The problem I see, call me a cynic if you wish, is that what brave bureaucrat will risk his job to leak information a superior does not want out in public yet? That's what scares the hell out of me. And how many people did we let into the US from Asia, unscreened, unchecked, and now lost in our system since this started two or three months ago? This sounds like 1918 all over again.

[Beck_isright]

15 possibles here in Florida thus far, FYI.

[Bluewave]

GWB is probably the only one with the integrity and power to bring this to the American people. We have witnesed his character on Iraq. Let's hope he is as forthcoming on SARS.

[InShanghai]

The impact of the disease and its reporting, even if it's way overblown will have an effect on economies all around the world.

Read the article on the Straights Times:

Sars: Big or small, many are hurting

[Beck_isright]

I concur totally. This is the true test of leadership.

[rustbucket]

There is an age group versus mortality table in the following article: SARS death rate increases with age

[Walkingfeather]

The flu does kill thousands... but the majority is the old. Guess what. This KILLS the Young and healthy more. Think about 10 people you know. Pick one. They are dead . You say hah it is all the way in China.... NOPE it is in your state. It will be in your city. Did you know 29 people attending a funeral for a SARS patient came down with the virus? How many Dead people pass the FLU to people at a Funeral.... 29 at the same funeral. Please don't make light of this. 5 months from now you may be sorry you equated this with the common flu./

[Walkingfeather]

heres a thought.... What if there are cargo ships that just cruise the oceans till they run out of fuel because the crew living in such close quarters all die before reaching port?

[Walkingfeather]

GWB already signed an exec. order for forced Quarintines. I dobt Clinton would do that.

[Beck_isright]

Will never happen thankfully. They are pretty much on auto pilot and communications are regular as hell. But what's scares me is that the authorities do not even know if people can act as "carriers" and not get ill and still transmit the disease to others. This is freaky.

[Walkingfeather]

yea non symptomatic carriers....

[Bluewave]

I don't like to be yelling the sky is falling. It does not become me. However, I am one who does not like to deal with the inevitable outcome, when there is another outcome within our control.

There is an economic face to the SARS threat and at the present time, most of us are more worried about the credit cards than our lives.

Some are concerned about a paltry multi-megaton weapon coming into a port and killing two or three million people at the hands of a terrorist, but SARS may come into port and take out 60,000,000. Let's hope the ship runs out of fuel, but let's prepare for the worst.