Hong Kong SARS Turns Deadlier.

perloin

[per loin]

Yes. I remember reading that the lungs looked almost like the patient had died of a hemmorhagic fever, but I've not a source for that handy.

[per loin]

For the while that would fit my schedule. I can post the Hong Kong chart by about 6 AM, west coast time. Should it be posted as a vanity?

[EternalHope]

This virus could already be out there, widespread, and the people we are seeing are the ones reporting to the hospital.

This is one of the biggest questions on the planet.

1. If lots of people have the disease and just don't know it, then it is both completely out of the box, and not nearly as nasty in percentage terms as it seems.

2. If very few, but some, people have such mild cases that they do not know they are sick, then we have a disease fully as nasty as we see in Hong Kong, plus no way to make sure we have all cases in quarantine. This is the worst case scenario.

3. If ALL patients get sick enough to know they are sick, and they are not contagious until they are visibly sick, then we have a built-in way to slow down its spread. This is probably the best case.

The evidence thus far is scanty, but it does not seem to support the "many mild cases" scenario. Aside from the fact that the U.S. CDC and the WHO have indicated they do not think that is the case, the best "laboratory" example we have does not support it either. Prince of Wales Hospital had very few mild cases, and a very controlled group people to monitor/check.

On a larger scale, we are not seeing community transmission from unknown carriers anywhere in the world except in Hong Kong and China. Even in Hong Kong, community transmission from unknown sources seems to be rare. Hence, the evidence thus far does not support the "many mild cases" postulate.

[EternalHope]

Looks like we need some guidance from a moderator.

Should a daily SARS update thread be originally posted as a vanity, or should it start off somewhere else, such as "front page news"?

[CathyRyan]

Torontonians get new SARS alert Residents told to stay home at any symptom of the disease; Catholics change Easter communion procedures

TORONTO -- As Christians enter the most important week of their religious calendar, Roman Catholic leaders have ordered changes to holy communion procedures to limit the chance of infection from SARS.

And as the infection now spreads into the community at large, public health authorities are urging millions of Toronto-area residents Tuesday to stay home if they have any symptom of the disease -- from high fever to a dry cough or bad headache.

The warnings were the strongest health officials have directed at the general public since the outbreak began a month ago. Most previous advisories had been aimed at people exposed to known sources of the ailment.

"If you are feeling ill or have a fever, do not go to work, do not go to school. Do not go out into the community. Wait until your illness is sorted out, or you are feeling better," said Dr. James Young, Ontario's commissioner of public security.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/894228/posts