What do you think about this new epidemic?
Personally, I really hope it's not some new form of the Black Death or anything. If something that bad was to hit again, it'd be a higher death count than 25% of the European population.

What are your opinions?

Nothing much to worry about. How many people have died, a few hundred? In something like a months time, right? No need to get your panties in a bunch. Flu, colds, pnuemonia, etc., would seem like devastating plagues compared to sars.

Also, bubonic plague was so rampant because of poor sanitary conditions. You will not die of it today, because you most likely will never become infected as a result of better hygiene standards, and the fact that we now use antibiotics to combat disease.

The CDC is pretty vigilant in these situations, I wouldn't sweat it.

It's kinda weird that even though all experts say that face masks are totally useless, we have a gazillion people wearing them 24/7, even on the altar..kissing the bride through the mask. :rolleyes:

If you alrady have sars, it might help a little for you to wear the mask (as in not transmitting the disease on others so easily), but it does nothing to prevent you from getting it.

Funny...

I heard some news about China executing anyone who won't obey the isolation directions. That's a bit harsh, don't you think?

Originally posted by munik
Also, bubonic plague was so rampant because of poor sanitary conditions. You will not die of it today, because you most likely will never become infected as a result of better hygiene standards, and the fact that we now use antibiotics to combat disease.

There is no known cure for Bubonic Plague. It's a viral infection. And the origins and carrier(s) of the plague is currently unknown.

As a matter of fact, the Plague Graveyards in Europe are still quarantined. You'll face a BIG fine if you start digging them up. At best.

It's kinda weird that even though all experts say that face masks are totally useless, we have a gazillion people wearing them 24/7

That's not wierd, IMO. Knocking on wood or praying is useless for preventing trouble, yet many people resort to these measures. Likewise, many people who are ice-skating for the first time hold on to someone else, even though they know full well that they'll still fall on their butt if they slip. It's very human to want a false sense of security when no real security is available.

I heard some news about China executing anyone who won't obey the isolation directions. That's a bit harsh, don't you think?

Is it harsh to sacrifice one to save ten? Yes. Is it harsh to sacrifice ten to save one? Yes. Well, the world is a harsh place, isn't it? And I know which of the two former that I prefer.

EDIT: I almost forgot: SARS is (measured in mortality rates) a tad worse than pneumonia, but the last thing I heard was that they've got a cure devised, so it's not so bad. Biggest problem is the fething Chinese cover-up.

Heart disease still remains the more serious medical problem and, in the short time that SARS has been around, Heart Disease has doubtless killed many more people. Yet we (in the U.S. at any rate) do little to avoid the problem. We eat the wrong foods and refuse to exercise. We're fat.

In looking at mortality rates, I find the effects of traffic accidents and gun-related violence far more significant than a few sick SARS patients.

Originally posted by ShadowTemplar
There is no known cure for Bubonic Plague. It's a viral infection. And the origins and carrier(s) of the plague is currently unknown.

As a matter of fact, the Plague Graveyards in Europe are still quarantined. You'll face a BIG fine if you start digging them up. At best.Ahh, I did not know that. By no cure, do you mean all/most cases are fatal? I just assumed that modern medicine could combat it. Also, why not just burn the corpses? Maybe too much of a hassle, now that they're in the ground, but then you wouldn't have to worry about another outbreak. Almost similiar to anthrax infected livestock. I'm pretty sure you should burn them, but if they are buried you can't mess with the grave because you will get infected.

As for killing those who break quarantine, I definitaly agree. Quarantine is the non-violent means of seperating the infected from the general population to prevent spreading. If someone chooses to break it, then you must resort to violent means. Outbreaks of infectious diseases, when they occur, become one of the most important things to society. They must be contained. Those who become infected are as good as dead, they have nothing to lose, so that is why the harsh treatment of those who do not wish to stay isolated. Dead man walking, so to speak.

Originally posted by ShadowTemplar
There is no known cure for Bubonic Plague. It's a viral infection. And the origins and carrier(s) of the plague is currently unknown.


I missed that bit until I saw Munik's quote of it..... Bubonic Plague is actually a bacterium named Yersinia pestis.

Perry RD, Fetherston JD. Yersinia pestis -- etiologic agent of plague. Clin Microbiol Rev, 1997;10:35-66

Plague cycles naturally in its enzootic foci, circulating between small mammals and fleas without human involvement. Modern antibiotics are typically effective against the plague if caught early in the onset, but if not it is likely to cause illness or death.

So, in a sense, there is as much a cure for the plague as there is for Gonorrhea. :p

Originally posted by SkinWalker
I missed that bit until I saw Munik's quote of it..... Bubonic Plague is actually a bacterium named Yersinia pestis.

Perry RD, Fetherston JD. Yersinia pestis -- etiologic agent of plague. Clin Microbiol Rev, 1997;10:35-66

Sovvy. Me bad for not checking that.

Originally posted by SkinWalker
Plague cycles naturally in its enzootic foci, circulating between small mammals and fleas without human involvement. Modern antibiotics are typically effective against the plague if caught early in the onset, but if not it is likely to cause illness or death.

So, in a sense, there is as much a cure for the plague as there is for Gonorrhea. :p

Curious... The Danish TV documentary about it said differently... Well, you've got to learn for as long as you live, haven't you?

Thanks for the info.

SARS killing people isn't the problem. When people won't eat in chinese restaraunts because they are afraid that they will contract the disease, not repel it, and wind up dead, THAT's when the problems start. The Canadian government spends millions of dollars fighting SARS, but won't tell Alberta to stop screwing over the education system. We spent lots of money trying to stop terrorism (which, of course was FAR more likely to happen AFTER September 11 than it was before :rolleyes: ), but we can't break out of the stranglehold the Americans have on our economy, no matter how much they flip us off and push us around. Air Canada can't recover from Sept. 11, but (thankfully) we don't have any money to save their butts with (ie: let them waste).

SARS, Madcow, West Nile, Terrorism, Bill Gates... They're all just ways to scare us into a frenzy of consumerism.

-PS- You Yankees better stock up on the duct-tape to save you from Iraqi/Afghani/Korean/Syrain/Muslim/Buddhist/Asian/South American/Canadian terrorist attacks, and while you're at it, pick some fights, will you? Your political conservatism has got to end.

Anyway, that's just my rant, so you don't have to tell me it's off topic.

Monkey Pox, people run for your lives!!
:monkey4: :3headed: :monkey4: :3headed: :monkey4:
:barf2:
:disaprove
Geeze... It never ends does it? Damn the media for causing mass panic among the public.