SARS Back?

[Plastique]

With the single isolated case in Singapore (BBC Report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3092220.stm)) , looks like things could be about to get hairy again!:eek:

[777Efoh]

Well, the WHO has mentioned that SARS may rear it's ugly head again towards the end of the year.

The isolated case in Singapore is a post doctoral student who was doing research into the West Nile virus and he hadn't been out of the country. I am no medical expert but maybe it had something to do with the improper handling of these viral agents? Purely speculation on my part of course....

[christep]

My understanding is that this case has no pneumonia symptoms at all, and just happens to be carrying the virus.

In the only other case where random testing of people was done (albeit on a small scale) in Canad, a significant proportion of the general population tested positive for the coronavirus.

I wish somebody would do those tests more widely, discover that the virus is already endemic and then let us get on with our lives without another bout of media hysteria.

[777Efoh]

Yeah lets hope we don't get the sort of media hysteria like the first outbreak. The battered airline industry can do without another SARS outbreak.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/030910/3/3e21e.html

[Plastique]

The masks were out on the MTR last night...

[Schrodingers Cat]

There really is only one authority on this and it's HERE..............
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/singaporesep2003.htm

[christep]

What a bizarre statement! Why should the CDC quoting the relevant Singaporean body somehow be more authoritative than the original source?

I don't think many people in the world subscribe to the "if an American says it it must be true" school of thought these days.

[Schrodingers Cat]

I assume you have your beer goggles on christep. FYI the CDC coordinates response to pandemics worldwide...although it is based in the US its resources and expertise are used by all governments.

I suggest that having seen the PRC governments initial reaction to the SARS problem that relying on Government spokesmen of any ilk is hardly reliable.........:hmm:

[HotDog]

I was in Singapore when the new SARS case was announced. The following day the Straits Times reported the confirmation of the diagnosis, after that no more mention in the papers or the news. Looks like a complete news blackout has been ordered.

The way to go, not at all like the media panick originally.

[christep]

I'm confused now - I thought the WHO coordinated the global response to epidemics?

And isn't the CDC itself a government organisation (it certainly has a .gov address)? Or is it the fact that it is an American one that makes it somehow better than all the rest in your eyes?