Deadly "super-flu" emerges in Hong Kong

[Dinner]

They'll contact the CDC if things get bad. Everyone all ways does sooner or later.

[Dinner]

My money is on influenza. It flourishes in crowded conditions, among people with poor nutrition, and poor access to health care. That sounds a lot like parts of Indo-China.

[DanS]

Looks like this could be pretty big. The CDC apparently has been holding emergency meeting on it.

[mrboo123]

Originally posted by Ned
Seems to me that if this bug is as contagious as it seems, it will visit the entire world in short order. Hopefully, by then, we will have a something to prevent catching it in the first place.

Have the US authorities been contacted to help?

Better, already reached Canada! :sraced:

[Urban Ranger]

Only a couple of people got knocked off in Toronto. No biggie, that.

[Agathon]

Don't panic yet.

It is apparently hard to catch unless you come into close contact with an infected person. Almost all the Toronto infections are members of one family and this is over the last week or so. I live there and so do six million other people.

And it doesn't seem to kill everybody, so the chances of actually dying from it are quite low. Only 8 people in the entire world have died from it and there are about 300 infections mostly in Asia.

Since it apparently comes from China if large swathes of Chinese people start dying, then we know we are in trouble.

Take a moment to remember the flesh eating disease that was going to kill us all and the recurrence of the plague that was much ballyhooed a few years back.

[Urban Ranger]

Yeah, a lot of people tend to be very panicky these days.

[Agathon]

The concern of officials makes me feel more secure - it means they are doing their job. And they've told Canadians not to worry unless they've been in contact with that family; been to a certain hospital in Scarborough or been in contact with anyone who's really crook.

Since I've done none of these I suppose I shouldn't worry. Although if I get it I'll be sure to tell you all.

[Urban Ranger]

There are so far 40 cases in Vietnam, 16 in Singapore, 4 in Taiwan, 44 in Hong Kong.

[Agathon]

Looks like you are right UR.

I suppose that the chicken flu case proves that it is possible to contain these things if there is a well funded disease control policy.

[Agathon]

There are 8 confirmed cases in Canada and two deaths. Six in Toronto (including the fatalities) and two in BC.

The good news, if it can be called that, is that it comes on pretty quickly which means it is easier to remove contagious individuals from the population much more quickly.

And if its the same one that was in China which infected 300 and killed five that's about a 1.6% chance of dying from it which will be reduced if you aren't old and infirm. Not terrible odds.

[faded glory]

Hey I saw Stephen Kings 'The Stand' just earlier..


Anyway, its not the mortality rate there worried about agathon. Its the fact that it doesnt respond to anti-biotics and apparently, the symptoms are, from what I understand from MSNBC, Permanent. Yes, Permanent.....

[ThePantaloonDog]

The thing about Ebola is that it kills its victims so quickly that the carrier really doesn't have a chance to infect other people. This is the problem with AIDS, you carry it around for a decade before you feel any affects.

This virus on the other hand does sound a bit scary even if 1.6% die think of the number of people that would just in the US. 2 million deaths could easily cause a panic. Hopefully this will be contained.

[Urban Ranger]

fg,

If the cause is a virus, it won't respond to antibiotics. So don't jump to conclusions about some multi-resistant superbugs.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by faded glory
Hey I saw Stephen Kings 'The Stand' just earlier..

Anyway, its not the mortality rate there worried about agathon. Its the fact that it doesnt respond to anti-biotics and apparently, the symptoms are, from what I understand from MSNBC, Permanent. Yes, Permanent.....

Don't worry mate. I just read on MSNBC that one person in Vancouver has recovered.

If it is non HIV-like virus it can't be permanent since the body eventually forms antibodies to the virus - just like when you get a cold or the flu - or you die because the virus is too virulent - like Ebola.