From the TENNESSEAN...
"The state Health Department receives telephone calls ''daily'' about possible cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, but to date there are no cases of the disease in Tennessee, State Epidemiologist Allen Craig told a legislative committee yesterday.
In a special briefing requested by the House Health and Human Resources Committee, Craig reported that there are 38 probable cases of the dread disease that apparently originated in southern China last fall and has since spread to Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada.
Craig said there has been ''no community spread'' of it in the United States.
Craig told the lawmakers that people at risk are those who have traveled to where the disease has been found or have associated with such travelers.
He said it spreads ''like the common cold, apparently by respiratory droplets,'' and causes death in about 4% of its victims.
He said antibiotics do not seem to affect it.
It is such a new disease that an effective treatment has yet to be found.
He was at least a week behind in the news when he said it. Old News ... is no news.
Three weeks ago there were 100 admitted cases in Hong Kong. Today there are 4,300 cases world wide and counting in 27 countries ... Oops! 28 today. Tomorrow 30 + ...
There is no known immunity, and no known cure. The virus is mutating rapidly so the genetic code that was worked out two weeks ago is incorrect. The Chinese said it was X, then was Y, and today the virus has mutated and it is Z for the next week. The virus attacks the lungs, kidneys, lymphy system and intestines.
Tomorrow they will say it is worse than AIDS -- and will kill every AIDS patient it infects.
'Nuff said. Over and out.