Posted on 04/09/2003 4:17:14 PM PDT by EternalHope
SARS Here to Stay, Health Experts Say Wed April 09, 2003 05:40 PM ET
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An alarming new respiratory disease that spread from southern China to virtually every continent within months is probably here to stay, health experts said on Wednesday.
World health officials moved quickly to try to contain the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome once word got out, but it was carried too quickly by person-to-person contact and is now probably entrenched in the population, they said.
The disease concerns doctors because it can cause severe pneumonia that cannot be helped by drugs. About 4 percent of patients die.
There are more questions than answers right now about SARS because doctors are not 100 percent certain about the virus that causes the disease and are still collecting data, said Dr. Jim Hughes, head of infectious diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Once there is a test for the virus that causes the disease, doctors can find out how common it is, how infectious, and whether some people are more likely to spread it than others.
"We have more than 150 suspected SARS cases in the United States today. At the end of all this we'll be able to classify many of those into confirmed or not SARS categories," Hughes said in a telephone interview.
The World Health Organization reported 2,722 suspected SARS cases worldwide, with 106 deaths in 16 countries. This compares to a minimum of 250,000 deaths a year globally from influenza and its complications, but doctors are not ready to dismiss SARS.
"I think we have to assume that the virus is in Asia to stay," Hughes said. "In terms of its introduction into North America, whether it is here to stay I think remains to be seen but I think we should assume that it may well be."
A SARS SEASON?
CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding earlier this week suggested SARS may begin to show a seasonal pattern, as do other respiratory diseases such as colds and influenza. Doctors believe a coronavirus similar to strains that cause the common cold may cause SARS.
"I think you might expect it will because other respiratory illnesses do," Hughes said.
Scientists are already working on a vaccine to fight SARS and are screening banks of drugs to see if one can fight the virus. But they have warned that it takes years to develop a new vaccine for a disease.
Vaccines and drugs are unlikely to wipe out any illness. The only human disease that has been eradicated is smallpox, through a global immunization program that ended in 1980.
WHO says it is close to eradicating polio, another viral disease that infects only humans, but says pockets remain in places like Afghanistan and parts of Africa.
Despite years of work on flu vaccines, influenza manages to adapt and evolve and cause a new epidemic every year. Hughes said it is only a matter of time before another influenza pandemic sweeps the world, killing perhaps millions.
This is why we need to be cool and objective in our analysis of just what should be done. If I were in charge (LOL!) I'd call a meeting of the leading virus experts and pick their brains.. But I'd also need to see some evidence that this is a single, identifiable virus and not just a bunch of creative case grouping (hype) created by operatives (cooking the books) trying to further terrorize the (ignorant and credulous) populace. Remember the shark attack threat from a year ago? The media had a field day with that one.
Now, I must go. Good luck with those nurses. ;^)
"The first plane hit the tower and we all ran to the windows. People started to pack and get things together to get out of there when a voice came on the loudspeaker and said we're okay, it's just a terrible accident next door. Please do not panic. Go back to your desks and stay in your office. Many of the people did that." linkI wonder when we'll hear this from the CDC: "It's OK folks. This country is fine. It's just a terrible outbreak affecting the other countries."
And your gut instinct is to panic? Where will you run to if it is already widespread and not able to be contained?
Someone else posted a list of what we can do to help, and I have to repeat it:
Things you can do about SARS
I agree with you. This is the best place to get news and information in my book. -Support FR!!!
Purell awash in sales
Illnesses, fears increase demand
By Mary Ethridge
Beacon Journal business writer
The threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome, along with fears of terrorism and the war in Iraq, has caused sales to surge at GOJO, the Akron-based company that makes hand sanitizing liquid for medical and consumer use.
There's no evidence GOJO's Purell kills the SARS virus, but there's no evidence it doesn't. There's just not enough of the virus in existence now to allow for widespread testing.
Nevertheless, worldwide fears of SARS and other new viruses such as the Norwalk and West Nile viruses, led the Centers for Disease Control to issue a plea for more hand washing by health care workers in particular and everyone in general.
Doctors may have to wash their hands 30 to 40 times a day with soap and water to stay safely germ free.
Health care workers use hand sanitizers, such as Purell, when using soap and water isn't feasible or desirable.
Sales of Purell Instant Hand Sanitizers have increased ``significantly'' across the world, said Sandor Katz, spokesman for GOJO. But sales have been particularly strong in Asia, Canada and the United States -- areas where SARS has been reported.
There have have been 100 cases in the United States, including six in Ohio.
As a private company, GOJO is not required to release financial figures and declined to do so for this story.
However, production at the company's main plant in Cuyahoga Falls is at full steam, said Katz, spokesman for GOJO.
``Our people know this is a critical time for everyone. This is a frightening time for many people, so if we can provide reassurance (of safety), we're glad. That's our message,'' said Katz.
Sales for Purell began to lift in late 2001 as Americans were warned about germ warfare and terrorism in the wake of the attacks on Sept. 11 and subsequent anthrax scares.
Business continued to grow last year along with concerns about the West Nile Virus and war with Iraq, Katz said.
The product was given a boost when Americans were advised by experts that hand sanitizers should be on every shopping list when equipping a family to survive a high terrorism alert or attack.
When America declared war in March, sales got another boost.
GOJO, which began selling Purell in the consumer retail market in 1996, has had contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense for years. For the past several years, it has donated 1 oz. bottles of Purell to deploying troops through the American Red Cross, according to Summit County Chapter Spokesman Jackie Zavodney.
Purell, which does not require soap or water, is said to kill 99.9 percent of the germs that make people sick.
One of GOJO's biggest competitors is Steris Inc. of Mentor, which specializes in high-tech sterilization equipment.
Steris spokesman Kevin Marsh said most companies order months in advance. Growth is gradual in times like these, he said.
The defense department orders equipment such as surgical boards and tables from Steris far ahead of time.
Steris does have an alcohol-based hand sanitizer called Cal-Stat, but it is mainly marketed to health care workers and not the general public.
``We certainly stand ready if our government and people need us'' said Marsh. ``Sterilization and decontamination is at the heart of our business.''
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