A silver lining to Sars crisis for Beijing?

Straits Times ^ | TANG SHIPING

[Feiny]

Well, I can't say I am real upset about China or Canada losing money. When I wrote thousands...I meant tens of thousands....but it does seem to be getting more serious each day. I wonder why we have had no deaths here in the US out of the few hundred suspected cases?

[FreepForever]

Microbiologist and doctors in Hong Kong said that the virus had experienced 5 to 6 generations since the first index patient (the source) got infected (March 10) and developed into 1,400 cases now in the community. It is very difficult for the medicine (Ribavirin) to fight with an ever changing enemy. What's worse is, each mutation brings different symptoms. The earlier cases are very common flu like but the more recent cases are diarrhea (without fever). It is not even more difficult to treat, it is becoming more difficult to detect.

The US has less than 200 cases now. The case in the US is different because the virus is still in the first generation. It is still effectively kept in the hospital and the virus never had a chance to spread into the community and mutate like crazy. That's why the medication is relatively effective (even without usiing Ribavirin, which has many side effects).

[chilepepper]

I wouldn't underestimate the intelligence and resourcefulness of the common "just folks" chinese who i am sure can get the truth despite the best efforts of a brutish and probably not particularly agile totalitarian government who actually believe that information can be repressed on the internet.

[NorseWood]

I have not yet received and read Jeff Head's latest book in the Dragon's Fury series, but I've got a feeling that Jeff may have to modify the content of his fouth book. China's robust strength may soon be withering from the impact (real or perceived) of Sars.

[gitmo]

While at first China tried to restrict its spread without public warning, things got out of control quickly.

I've read a number of novels about a spreading plague, kept quiet by the government. I always thought that was a ridiculous plot. No government would be that foolish.

Didn't you think that was a poorly written article? The attempts to interweave the spread of SARS with previous economic downturns was difficult to follow and of little value.

[FreepForever]

Up to this minute, the totalitarian government IS STILL blocking access to all web sites relating to SARS. They don't want the folks to know:
1) that the govt is lying
2) how it was uncovered
3) how the world sees it
4) how stupid their govt is
5) blame the govt

[FreepForever]

No government would be that foolish. What if this debacle is just an accident happened in one of their biological weapon research lab? How rediculour is this?

[FreepForever]

China has a 1.35 billion population, losing a million lives isn't such a big loss to her national strength. In the eyes of a totalitarian dictatorship, human live is always the cheapest commodity. They can always recover that loss by lifting birth control. Nature will automatically heal their small wound at a very cheap cost.

[gitmo]

I was pointing out my naivitee.

[chilepepper]

They don't want the folks to know:
1) that the govt is lying
2) how it was uncovered
3) how the world sees it
4) how stupid their govt is
5) blame the govt

given the empty streets in beijing i'd say the folks there already know this, even better and sooner than we did, censorship or not -- remember the Tianamen FAX machines...

[FreepForever]

Yeah, when you try to sweep under the carpet, very soon the bulge will grow so big that you can't step over it. I just don't understand why governments keep making this silly mistake.That's what happening now! And I'm sure that it will happen in the future.