Hysteria grips a forbidden city at the epicentre of a killer virus

The Independent (London) ^

[aristeides]

Doesn't make much sense to let people believe you're about to shut off travel into and out of a city, and then not do it.

[aristeides]

Lots of Peking info on this thread: Beijing Closes Hospital Amid SARS Scare (+ New Mortality Info).

[aristeides]

Paranoia and outrage in a city determined to carry on as usual (Toronto).

[riri]

because they had heard all shops would be closed and sanitised

Someone please tell me the effectiveness factor of this?! First of all, unless this thing has an indefinite lifespan won't all virus just die naturally in about 24 hours? Secondly, sanitization is only effective until the next SARS victim shows up a coughin' and a touchin'...

[aristeides]

Hu Jintao: Does he really run China?.

[ex-Texan]

And so it begins for real ... PANIC

[per loin]

Yes. It's time for people to start running naked through the streets screaming "DON'T PANIC...DON'T PANIC"

[dennisw]

 

From the hidden city of Toronto:

Thu Apr 10, 3:27 PM ET

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien (C) is served a bowl of soup by Margaret Wong (L) during a visit to a Chinese restaurant in Toronto, April 10, 2003. Chretien visited one of Toronto's Chinese communities seeking to persuade Canadians not to let the mysterious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus derail their everyday lives. Photo by Mike Cassese REUTERS/Mike Cassese

[ex-Texan]

How about the Mayor throwing a public tantrum in the streets saying the SARS quarantine will ruin the baseball season ?

Seen this yet ?

The UK Would Not Be Able to Handle SARS outbreak

[Prince Charles]

Bump...

[Dog Gone]

Good grief. It does sound as if Beijing has gone into full panic mode in the last day or two. This reads like a chapter out of a novel.

[Betty Jo]

A Pulitzer Prize novel.

[Betty Jo]

From the article... "medical supplies such as vinegar and garlic"

I hope I can get to my store before they are all sold out.

We have to remember that there is no vaccine,no antiviral for SARS.

I keep remembering that very early on in the antiviral business, Bin Laden and his financers were embedded in the companies.

WMD right here,right now,in plain sight!

[Betty Jo]

Not only is the UK unable to deal with SARS,no country in the whole world will be able to treat SARS victims.

There is no vaccine,no antiviral.

There will not be enough reverse air isolation rooms,nor venilators, etc.

Where is that freeper that says "be afraid, be very afraid"?

[Betty Jo]

re your Hu Junato link,who, what, where, wen?

If the whole world goes cyber and 24/7 news cable all these questions will be answered,right?

Or will the whole world watch and listen and read as we all die?

Nfo overload will be a new disease.

I'm running off now to find why WHO is saying Viet Nam has SARS beaten, according to MSNBC.

[aristeides]

In the absence of garlic, there's always garlic powder. Plus, you can grow your own garlic.

For that matter, you can produce your own vinegar, by letting wine spoil.

[blam]

"It is still widely believed that a true picture has not emerged in China."

That sounds reasonable.

[blam]

"For that matter, you can produce your own vinegar, by letting wine spoil."

Vinegar is just weak acetic acid.

[Betty Jo]

You knew I was kidding did't you,re garlic and vinegar?

Re the WHO Viet Nam thing, I can find it on the WHO site ,but the news articles are saying it.

VietNam hasnt had any new cases in 10 days ,so WHO is saying that Nam has it under control.

Somehow I doubt this.