| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
 Posted - 04/22/2003 : 07:38:57
|
Just wondering what you guys have heard about this new disease that is hitting different parts of the planet at the moment..... especially China. Alot of people here in Beijing are shitting bricks at the moment as the government have been a little dishonest with the truth about this disease. It appears that alot more people have been infected and have died than they originally reported (theres a surprise). Hong Kong certainly is the worst hit area and parts of Southern China.
Some western docs here are saying that people are blowing this out of proportion, whilst other doctors have mentionned that it is pretty bad. So that and the dishonesty of the government is causing alot of uncertainty and panic. Supermarkets, schools, etc etc are being shut down here and my school (which is refusing to close) is witnessing a severe shortage of students. Things are getting pretty weird.
Has SARS hit the US, or anywhere else, what is the media in your country saying about it??
International Air Guitar Hitman |
|
|
Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 08:32:33
|
| I think Canada, specifically the Toronto area, has had the most cases outside of Asia. There have been a few cases in the UK. Most of the news items I have seen have been criicising the Chinese regime for covering up the scale of the problem. |
 |
|
|
misterwoe
= Cult of Ray =
Greece
675 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 08:46:08
|
I have heard about a few cases being reported in the US, a few in Kansas, where I am living right now. Stuart, from your description things sound pretty bad over there. As far as I've seen, the media hasn't hit upon SARS too much, which of course, means absolutely nothing. Keep us posted.
How about some Ether? |
|
|
|
misterwoe
= Cult of Ray =
Greece
675 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 08:47:45
|
Oh yeah, I remember hearing a news report that said doctors may have found the virus that SARS has originated from. Don't if it is true; it's just what I heard.
How about some Ether? |
|
|
|
darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 09:02:17
|
| Nightline last night was devoted to SARS (it may have been the first non-Iraq show in a month or so). So, SARS is receiving some attention in the US. They have now developed tests to identify when people actually have the disease. In the US I don't beleive there have been any SARS fatalities and it is thought that many of the US people with the disease are probably misdiagnosed. |
|
|
|
Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos
Canada
4496 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 10:23:35
|
I'm not sure how bad it is in China, but it's definitely being blown out of proportion here in Canada. It's killed, what, 200 people, and it's BOOM it gets all this attention. I'm sure more people die in homicide in the US each day..
Just a drop in the bucket compared to the real killers in the world..but i guess it's a bit more of that fear-mongering..weeee.. Cardiovascular disease and cancer aren't really 'scary' any more, and sadly, are expected by many.
I guess that's why SARS seems so much more dastardly. |
|
|
|
darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 10:42:47
|
200 may not be very many, but SARS is receiving attention because the disease has the potential to kill many, many people. And what story about cancer or cardiovascular disease do you suggest they run instead? Haven't we already heard most of what can be said about those two? Eat well and exercise. SARS is a developing story that deserves some attention.
I don't think in the US the coverage has been disproportional. In fact, the main criticism has been that the Iraq story has lead to SARS not receiving enough attention. It is likely to be a disease, like AIDS, that has a far greater impact in less developed countries.
Total US homicides was roughly 25,000 in 1999. That's about 60 per day. Data from:
www.bradycampaign.org/press/related_documents/ 112901c.pdf |
|
|
|
billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6213 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 10:47:17
|
Well Dave of course more people die of homicide
But, you know the case is:
We don't know what SARS is
We don't know exactly how you can get it
We don't know where it came from
We don't know what to do about it
that are a lot more ''we don't knows'' then cancer has
I'm sure we will get those answers, but until then
we will have to wait and see what happens
people hate to live in doubt
''it's not a box, it's a submarine'' |
|
|
|
Carolynanna
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Canada
6556 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 11:17:55
|
I recently read about some cases in Vancouver, and our Edmonton newspaper says that its only a matter of time before it hits Alberta.
But I also heard that it is a very small proportion of people who actually die from SARS. Does anyone know any stats on that? |
|
|
|
darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 11:59:29
|
| I think it has been hard to say what proportion die from SARS since until very recently they haven't had a test to definitively shows who actually has SARS. In the US (as I tried to say earlier) it seems like the proportion is low, but that might be because many of the people don't really have SARS. |
|
|
|
theonecontender
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
565 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 13:31:34
|
| SARS is an illness about John Denver. |
|
|
|
Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos
Canada
4496 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 13:58:26
|
LOL!
Bill - not really that much is known about cancer (or that 'they're' telling us..), due to ignorance, many, if not most people think it's inevitable, or only caused by cigerettes and microwave ovens.
It'll be interesting to see how this progresses...will it become a 'big success' for the medical community as they cure it so fast, or will it continue to baffle and spread..
There's a very strong link to it originating from other species (birds to pigs to humans i believe) - that is a much more scary possibility..cross-species diseases are very rare (BSE/TSE/Mad Cow being the only one i'm aware of..) and will only increase as anti-biotics, crowded farms and continuous contact with humans continues. |
|
|
|
El Barto
= Song DB Master =
USA
4020 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 14:08:13
|
theonecontender: hahaha
Yeah, SARS is all the new craze. Anyone remember West Nile? Oh man, that is soooo last year. Hopefully they'll find a cure for it soon...I'm pretty sure the rate of death is pretty low, killing mostly just infants and elderly, but I could be wrong. |
|
|
|
Carolynanna
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Canada
6556 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 14:23:14
|
quote:
Originally posted by theonecontender
SARS is an illness about John Denver.
I don't get it, help me out. |
|
|
|
the swimmer
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1602 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 14:48:40
|
quote:
Originally posted by Carolynanna
quote:
Originally posted by theonecontender
SARS is an illness about John Denver.
I don't get it, help me out.
A very LAME reference to the FB song "Czar".
OILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the national turmoilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll |
|
|
|
Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 18:29:41
|
quote:
Originally posted by misterwoe
Stuart, from your description things sound pretty bad over there. As far as I've seen, the media hasn't hit upon SARS too much, which of course, means absolutely nothing. Keep us posted.
Its hard to tell what the fuck is going on to be honest.... firstly the government say that it is only a small problem, and then we find out that they have been lying and that its a big problem. The last stats that were published yesterday said that 400 people had caught the disease in Beijing, not too sure how many people had died though.... but how do we know that these figures are correct after things get covered up.
Its like the AIDS thing, the Chinese government until recently stated that there was no incidents of AIDS in China, which was one of the biggest lies in the world. Instead of educating the people here they denied its existence..... and now the find out that AIDS is a big problem in China. Its just fucking ridiculous, enough to make me consider not living here for a long period of time.
So, my point is we don't really know the severity of this because we don't know who to trust. A few western docs here have mentionned that it is not that serious and that if you take the propper precautions then SARS is not that easy to catch..... but who knows thats only a couple of doctors opinions. What I do know is that people are starting to panic and stay at home, there is certainly a reduction of people on the street which is very strange for such a heavily populated city like Beijing.
International Air Guitar Hitman |
|
|
|
Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 18:39:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by Carolynanna
But I also heard that it is a very small proportion of people who actually die from SARS. Does anyone know any stats on that?
From what I have heard the majority of people who actually die from SARS have life threatening illness's before they are infected with SARS. Saying that Ive also heard that healthy people have died from SARS as well..... thats the problem about being here most of what you hear are rumours, no doubt generated from the hysteria of people who have been lied to and who are very confused and frightened..... which is very completely understandable.
AS I write this more and more students are coming into my school and delaying their study due to their fear of SARS.
Hmmmm, FEAR OF THE SARS...... that kind of sounds like a song that could have been written by that great British rock group Iron Maiden.
Oh yeah, Americans out there, this will make you chuckle. There have been a few people writing in magazines over here suggesting that SARS was started in China by the US government..... quality conspiracy theory!
International Air Guitar Hitman |
|
|
|
Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 18:43:51
|
| Blame it on the WHO. They started AIDS in Africa... monkey bite, my ass. :) |
|
|
|
El Barto
= Song DB Master =
USA
4020 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 19:10:27
|
| Maybe Atari will make a game about it...SARS Revenge? |
|
|
|
Atheist4Catholics
= Cult of Ray =
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2003 : 19:36:40
|
I've heard it has a 1-2% death rate which is small unless a million people get it (which in China means one apartment complex) then it's a problem. Some of the most devastating flu epidemics in history that have killed millions upon millions only had a 1-2% death rate; but everyone got it!
I've heard that SARS is only contagious through large liquid contact, i.e. not from a sneeze, but from someone wiping their nose and touching a doorknob, etc. So wash your hands and stay away from rats!
www.mp3.com/clootie |
|
|
|
Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2003 : 01:10:05
|
Ive heard some more news, apparently soon they are going to close the city borders in Beijing which means that no-one is allowed in and no-one can get out. Not only that, but if any foreigners (like myself) get SARS then they'll have to go into isolation for 3 weeks in a Chinese hospital and recieve chinese style treatment..... fuck that. A shitter is that I do not have medical insurance over here, and its also not just easy for me to pack up and go back to England for a few months because my Chinese girlfriend will not be able to get a visa to the UK.... certainly not during this SARS epidemic.... I cannot leave her here on her own.
I'm hoping that all this is just rumours made up from the hysteria of it all, but who knows.
International Air Guitar Hitman |
|
|
|
Carolynanna
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Canada
6556 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2003 : 08:06:24
|
I just heard that the Canadian deathtoll is 15 people and more than 200 had or have SARS.
|
|
|
|
Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos
Canada
4496 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2003 : 10:32:44
|
| Yep, 15 people in Canada have died from SARS in the last two weeks...oooooh...scary! Call the national guard! |
|
|
|
darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2003 : 11:32:02
|
quote:
Originally posted by Dave Noisy
Yep, 15 people in Canada have died from SARS in the last two weeks...oooooh...scary! Call the national guard!
Frankly I don't understand your skepticism about SARS. It's the beginning of a potentially big epidemic with a relatively unknown disease. The deaths (or infections) in epidemics start out small and then potentially increase exponentially if not disrupted.
At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic one could have cited the small number of deaths and said the story was overstated. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
