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SARS REACHES HONG KONG SCHOOLS - 32 NEW CASES (IS THE BUG OUT OF THE BOX?)
CHANNEL NEWS ASIA ^ | 03-21-03 | AMY OR

Posted on 03/21/2003 7:43:54 AM PST by Mother Abigail

21 March 2003 2046 hrs (SST) 1246 hrs (GMT)

32 more victims infected with SARS in Hong Kong 

By Amy Or

The Hong Kong government says it has contained the atypical pneumonia virus in the territory, but 32 more people have fallen victim to the deadly virus. The suspension of accident and emergency services at the Prince of Wales Hospital continues for another week.

The decision came after eight more healthcare personnel there fell sick with atypical pneumonia. This brings the total number struck by the virus to 197.

"We've contained the spread among primary contacts, trying to contain secondary contacts," said Yeoh Eng-kiong, Hong Kong's secretary for health, welfare and food.

China has repeatedly refused to link local cases of the outbreak to its southern Guangdong province. But the World Health Organization says preliminary studies confirm such a connection.

It has been confirmed that children are also victims of the illness.

One school on Hong Kong island had sent a Secondary 2 student to hospital as she showed flu-like symptoms. It was later found that her mother was also sick with atypical pneumonia.

Six students from four other schools have been hospitalized.

In the face of the increasing number of students suspected or confirmed to have contracted the disease, the Education Department has issued guidelines on preventive measures and is updating parents on the situation.

And officials held a briefing to 200 teachers in the territory, reminding them to report any abnormalities.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: paramyxovirus; sars
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To: Mother Abigail
Kansas...

Kansas SARS?

41 posted on 03/21/2003 12:33:24 PM PST by Black Agnes
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To: CathyRyan
I ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant in D.C. last night. I may not do so again for a few weeks.
42 posted on 03/21/2003 12:55:04 PM PST by aristeides
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To: CathyRyan
I'm not buying it either...bet it's really in the thousands.
43 posted on 03/21/2003 1:04:05 PM PST by Domestic Church (AMDG...)
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To: Mother Abigail
My daugher is travelling to London next week and has a 6 hour stopover in Hong Kong.They have an airport hotel room for the duration of their stay.I would love some suggestions on any precautions she could take to protect herself both in Hong Kong and on the flight.
44 posted on 03/21/2003 1:55:55 PM PST by kiwibird
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To: Mother Abigail
>SARS

"Looking for a cause

"CDC is working with other laboratories to find the cause of the disease. Labs in Germany and Hong Kong have found patients harboring particles of what appear to be paramyxoviruses -- responsible for such common illnesses as mumps and measles -- which they say may turn out to be the cause.

"It also includes a subfamily of viruses that can be transmitted between animals and people."
--------------------------------------------------

Is this the sequel
to AIDS? It surely acquired
its acronym fast...

45 posted on 03/21/2003 2:19:45 PM PST by theFIRMbss
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To: CathyRyan; Mother Abigail
ABC Radio news just reported: 22 cases in U.S.
46 posted on 03/21/2003 2:32:51 PM PST by aristeides
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To: aristeides
I am afraid this is the real war.
47 posted on 03/21/2003 2:36:57 PM PST by CathyRyan
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To: Mother Abigail
ProMED-Mail UPDATE
48 posted on 03/21/2003 3:49:42 PM PST by CathyRyan
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To: Black Agnes
New ProMED-Mail UPDATE
49 posted on 03/21/2003 3:51:26 PM PST by CathyRyan
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To: Mother Abigail
I rode the tank in the General's rank
When the Blitzkrieg ran and the bodies stank

50 posted on 03/21/2003 3:52:31 PM PST by Petronski (I'm not always cranky.)
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To: aristeides; Judith Anne; All
New ProMED UPDATE

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1000
51 posted on 03/21/2003 3:55:24 PM PST by CathyRyan
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To: theFIRMbss
Is this the sequel to AIDS? It surely acquired its acronym fast..."


I suppose this is as good a time as any to deal with this entire complex set of questions.

Are we chasing ghosts? Is it possible that, like in the AIDS epidemic, we are looking at the residual effect of a compromised immune system? Is the finding of paramyxoviruses in the victims an artifact?

Yes...

We must not rule out a systemic failure, caused by agents unknown, that allows the system to pick up particles of common viruses - which are then detected in laboratory analysis.

Is "Fast AIDS" a possibility? Oh yes my friend...
52 posted on 03/21/2003 3:56:27 PM PST by Mother Abigail
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To: Mother Abigail
The data will not support the facts. What seems more and more likely is that there is a large reservoir of pathogen in the Hong Kong area, being passed in close proximity via airborne droplets

Well, I guess the question begs. Saddam or North Korea?

53 posted on 03/21/2003 3:56:54 PM PST by riri
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To: CathyRyan
Do you mean you think the number should be far higher if it is as contagious as feared?
54 posted on 03/21/2003 3:57:39 PM PST by twntaipan (Defend American Liberty: Defeat a demoncRAT!)
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To: Mother Abigail
Just heard about a case in kansas..
55 posted on 03/21/2003 3:58:43 PM PST by Freedom2specul8 (Please pray for our troops.... http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/)
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To: aristeides
If it is a Cantonese restaurant, and if genuinely lots of Chinese people eat there (there are many "Chinese" restaurants in the USA that a self-respecting Chinese won't eat in because it is not the real deal), you are probably prudent.
56 posted on 03/21/2003 4:00:33 PM PST by twntaipan (Defend American Liberty: Defeat a demoncRAT!)
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To: kiwibird
You pose a very hard question to me.

After some thought, I have decided to respond in as honest a manner as possible.

First I suggest you get other opinions, your family physician, local health authorities, etc.

As to my opinion, under no circumstances would I or my loved ones go to Hong Kong. It is ground zero in a very nasty outbreak.

All airlines are making accommodations to passengers because of SARS. Change their route or cancel.

Remember this is just the opinion of some anonymous poster on the internet.
57 posted on 03/21/2003 4:07:35 PM PST by Mother Abigail
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To: riri
Lots of regular people coughing in crowds..
58 posted on 03/21/2003 4:14:45 PM PST by Mother Abigail
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To: Mother Abigail
Yikes. So in your opinion, which I value, but won't hold you to, on a scale of one to ten (one being nothing to worry about and ten being civilization ender) where would you put this...knowing what you know at this point?
59 posted on 03/21/2003 4:17:08 PM PST by riri
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To: All
Country: Cumulative no. case(s) / no. deaths/ local transmission

Canada: 9 / 2 / yes China: +

Germany: 1 / 0 / none*

Hong Kong SAR China: 203 / 6** / yes

Italy: 1 / 0 / none*

Republic of Ireland: 1 / 0 / none*

Singapore: 39 / 0 / yes

Slovenia: 1 / 0 / none*

Spain: 1 / 0 / none*

Switzerland: 7 / 0 / to be determined

Taiwan, China: 6 / 0 / yes

Thailand: 4 / 0 / to be determined

United Kingdom: 2 / 0 / none*

United States: 13 / 0 / to be determined

Viet Nam: 62 / 2 / yes Total 350 / 10
60 posted on 03/21/2003 4:18:26 PM PST by Mother Abigail
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