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The Threat Posed by SARS is Unprecedented (The title is a direct quote from a WHO regional director)
Indiana Gazette/ Associated Press ^
| April 26, 2003
| Jasbant Singh
Posted on 04/26/2003 12:56:22 PM PDT by Chipata
The Threat Posed by SARS is Unprecedented
By:JASBANT SINGH, Associated Press Writer April 26, 2003
Asian health ministers agree measures to stop 'unprecedented threat' of SARS
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Asian health ministers agreed Saturday on measures to slow the spread of SARS, including more screening at international departure points, a bar on travelers showing symptoms of the virus and a requirement for health declaration forms for visitors from affected countries.
"The threat posed by SARS is unprecedented," said the regional director of the World Health Organization, Shigeru Omi. "The virus has already demonstrated its explosive power to cause sudden outbreaks in a large number of countries. Tourism has almost disappeared. Normal life has been seriously disrupted."
"We must be absolutely relentless in our search for every possible SARS case. We must use every weapon at our disposal," Omi told the health ministers and senior officials from Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.
Omi said Saturday's meeting in Kuala Lumpur and a Southeast Asian leaders' summit in Thailand next week could "determine the future course" of how nations handle severe acute respiratory syndrome, which has killed at least 293 people and infected more than 4,600 worldwide.
The ministers agreed on a plan to boost screening at international departure points, bar travelers with SARS symptoms, and require health declaration forms for visitors from affected countries.
In a joint declaration, they stressed that their countries "could tackle the challenges posed by this deadly virus only by strengthening our collective efforts regionally as well as internationally."
Malaysian Health Minister Chua Jui Meng said Asians' ability to easily travel worldwide was "creating an alarming potential" for the outbreak to widen further.
"Should SARS continue to spread, the global economic consequences could be great in a closely interconnected and interdependent world," Chua said.
Chua said the measures approved by the ministers would be presented to national leaders at their summit in Bangkok before formal implementation.
China's Deputy Health Minister Huang Jiefu said Saturday's meeting underscored the need for Asian countries to be "united together as a team to fight the epidemic."
SARS is believed to have originated in southern China in November. Cases have been reported in 26 countries and territories.
The health ministers' meeting was called on short notice by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Only Vietnam did not participate in Saturday's discussions, which were also attended by Canadian observers.
The ministers also agreed that Southeast Asian countries should consider jointly setting up a disease control center, which Malaysia has said could help fight new disease outbreaks.
Indonesia's Health Minister Achmad Suyudi said Asia was demonstrating great resolve in joining hands to combat SARS.
"There are no sticking points, no sensitive areas as far as SARS is concerned," Suyudi said. "Everything is open to discussion."
©Indiana Printing & Publishing Co. 2003
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alliswellremaincalm; panic; sars; who
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1
posted on
04/26/2003 12:56:22 PM PDT
by
Chipata
To: Chipata
Toronto is having a real problem. New cases continue . No thanks to visiting there.
To: Chipata
I believe the UN is using SARS to try and rebuild its credibility, now that it has been exposed as nothing but a large criminal enterprise. Its complete illegal mismanagement of the "oil for food" program, fully aware Saddam was using the money for his and the UN cronies benefit, instead of the Iraqi people, means they share a large responsibility in the death of so many Iraqis, as the mortality rate skyrocketed in Iraq after this program was implemented.
3
posted on
04/26/2003 1:16:21 PM PDT
by
Russell Scott
(When you ignore God's instruction, you end up in the Devil's destruction.)
To: Chipata
Calling Randall Flagg.
4
posted on
04/26/2003 1:21:42 PM PDT
by
Trickyguy
To: Chipata
I suspect some of this hoopla has to do with researchers and health organizations seeing an opportunity for panicking their governments into financing equipment purchases and research gratns and the like.
I think SARS is serious. But, just like in the AIDS industry, there's big money and fame to be won in the midst of a deadly epidemic. These researchers and public health administrators are still normal sweaty greedy human beings, just like anybody else.
Given the sudden, almost stage-mangaged, herd-panic from researchers and public health officials, I'm almost beginning to think SARS will die out rather quickly. But not before a lot of money is funnelled into public health and SARS research.
Oh well, dedicated scientists and health officials have a mortgage to pay and luxury cars and home theater equipment to buy just like anybody else.
To: Countyline
The new cases are among hospital staff. It is not out in the general public as far as we know.
6
posted on
04/26/2003 1:30:30 PM PDT
by
Nov3
To: Chipata
bump for later reading
To: Trickyguy
Calling Randall Flagg. Excellent!
But I think Randall is still recovering from his eight years in the Whore White House.
8
posted on
04/26/2003 1:55:06 PM PDT
by
The Duke
To: Countyline
Quote "Toronto is having a real problem. New cases continue ."
Toronto almost has this contained. There have been only a couple of new cases over the past two weeks. Almost every single case can be drawn back to the initial case...and the hospital where that happened.
Toronto has almost beat this...at least for now. The battle will continue for everyone...everywhere for years to come. If this thing is not wiped out...then SARS will always be a threat. Cases will pop up here and there. Heavy burden on the health care system.
9
posted on
04/26/2003 1:57:22 PM PDT
by
Lucas1
To: Chipata
The threat posed by SARS, is the potential destruction of the UN's "global world government" agenda..Can you imagine how freaked out they must be watching their plans, of a "One World Government", swishing down the drain?
This is too good.
To: Chipata
Of course the UN is trying to take advantage of this crisis. But there's a good chance that it may indeed be the worst epidemic in modern history. It's too early to tell. Let's pray that it's not.
11
posted on
04/26/2003 2:38:29 PM PDT
by
Cicero
(Marcus Tullius)
To: Chipata
I have lost, and knew that I would.
The best most honest post that I've have seen was a guy your said that there are 51,000 or so deaths from cars each year.
He was therefore going to seclude himself in his house for the near future and be safe from both "SARS" and "CARS"
He was right.
I go to protect myself from "CARS".
12
posted on
04/26/2003 3:42:08 PM PDT
by
ido_now
To: George W. Bush
Given the sudden, almost stage-managed, herd-panic from researchers and public health officials, I'm almost beginning to think SARS will die out rather quickly. But not before a lot of money is funneled into public health and SARS research. You have it right.
I personally expect SARS to be a big flop epidemic-wise. Time will tell. I could be wrong. I also expect it to be a big money maker for the health research community. It won't be as big as the billions that the travel industry is losing but it won't be small potatoes either.
To: Chipata
To: George W. Bush
The vast majority of true, dedicated scientists are not interested in luxury cars or home theater equipment. They normally drive old beat up cars or very small economy cars. They tend to march to a different drummer; the really bright ones that is. They do not have the salesman mentality.
15
posted on
04/26/2003 7:53:03 PM PDT
by
DBtoo
To: ido_now
To: Chipata
If AIDS was taken this seriously, if those infected were reported and tracked, the gay radicals might not have liked it, but many more would be alive today.
17
posted on
04/26/2003 8:01:05 PM PDT
by
doug from upland
(- to Bill -"You are not fit to be commander in chief" -- father of Sgt. Shughart who died in Somalia)
To: Chipata
M
The Threat Posed by SARS is Unprecedented (The title is a direct quote from a WHO regional director... who wants 'job security'?
18
posted on
04/26/2003 8:04:35 PM PDT
by
_Jim
(Guangdong doctor linked to SARS: http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030320/09/)
To: DBtoo
They do not have the salesman mentality.BUT their directors, heads of departments and other 'lifers' too unproductive to be hired in private industry are ...
19
posted on
04/26/2003 8:07:28 PM PDT
by
_Jim
(Guangdong doctor linked to SARS: http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030320/09/)
To: _Jim
BUT their directors, heads of departments and other "lifers" too unproductive to be hired in private industry are...That is so true!
However, back in the 50s and 60s before affirmative action took hold, the US government had some brilliant scientists. These days the really good ones go into private industry. You are so right about the manager types and department heads though; they are more into the politics and themselves.
20
posted on
04/26/2003 9:23:34 PM PDT
by
DBtoo
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