More SARS deaths as expert warns of higher mortality rate

Australian Broadcasting. ^ | April 27, 2003

[Lessismore]

The worldwide SARS death toll continued to climb on Saturday as a leading British expert warned the mortality rate from the mysterious disease could be double that suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Canada recorded its 20th death, a 77-year-old man from Ontario province, casting doubt on official comments that the outbreak is under control.

Six deaths in Hong Kong and Singapore's 19th fatality were among 15 fatalities in Asia, bringing the global toll to 292.

As US President George W Bush offered to help beat the epidemic in China, where drastic measures are being taken to halt the rampant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a British expert on infectious diseases said the mortality rate had reached 10 per cent - double WHO estimates.

"If one looks carefully at the WHO figures on mortality and recovery rates, it is running, unfortunately, at 10 per cent," Professor Roy Anderson of Imperial College said.

WHO, which said on Friday the mortality rate had reached 5-6 per cent, did not confirm Dr Anderson's figures, but said they appeared plausible.

"We have not seen the report so we could not comment except to say that this is a top-class professional and any figure he commits himself to is likely to be as close as possible to accurate," said Dick Thompson, spokesman for the WHO's communicable disease section.

Asian nations earlier vowed to form a united front to halt the spread of the killer virus as the WHO called for a global hunt to track down every case of the disease.

The determined pledge came at the end of a meeting of Asian health ministers and international experts in Kuala Lumpur.

The respiratory illness that first emerged in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong nearly six months ago has now infected nearly 5,000 people in 26 countries.

Several governments have already introduced sweeping emergency measures to curb the spread of the disease, quarantining thousands of people and sealing off entire buildings, hospitals and schools.

The health ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur ahead of an emergency regional summit in Bangkok next week turned their attention to the problem of preventing the virus from spreading internationally.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and South Korea affirmed the need to bar SARS suspects from going to other countries.

[Dog Gone]

I was reading an article yesterday, which I don't think was posted here, where some Chinese are blaming America for the virus.

Kooks and conspiracy-lovers come in all shapes and sizes.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

I was reading an article yesterday, which I don't think was posted here, where some Chinese are blaming America for the virus.

Next it will be the French government blaming us. It's almost like a pattern how these things work.

[CathyRyan]

You would think as careful and afraid as people are in HK there would be no new cases. The place is like a ghost town and yet they still have new cases. People are limiting contact and woe be unto you if you cough in public. I would expect for the number to be lower really. imho

[lawdude]

"Now that we have been protected the full virus has been used as a weapon against china. "

Paging Art Bell. But it sonds good to me.

{8^,

[per loin]

What I find even more surprising is that health workers are still coming down with it.

[Domestic Church]

"they would be looking suspiciously like exponential growth has begun."

Wasn't that expected by May from the early stats you and per loin projected 2 months ago? All those who poopooed the projection will be boggled.

[CathyRyan]

This may have something to do with it? Who knows if it is true or not at this point.

Faulty mask claim to police

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/thestandard/news_detail_frame.cfm?articleid=38519&intcatid=1

[Betty Jo]

I don't trust any numbers.

When they tell me VietNam has SARS under control,I giggle.

Who does WHO think is out in the jungles looking for SARS victims?

Like when the 70 year villager dies, I am supposed to believe that there is an autopsy?

That that person ever was seen by a Dr. who did SARS testing?

Please....

I thnk only time will tell the ugly tale

[Betty Jo]

Well, here we go...so many issues.

Type N95 mask,"not everyone needs one"

Based on what?

[Betty Jo]

What is the name of the supplier?

Who owns this company?

[cynicom]

Toronto mayor says not a thing to worry about, feel free to visit Toronto, no problems.

[Domestic Church]

Time start calling Toronto Amityville...seems like they have the same Mayor.

[CathyRyan]

If you read the article you know as much about it as I do. :(

[CathyRyan]

ProMED has a new update.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:97335321652907880::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,21423

[Betty Jo]

Does your promed reply say that aspirin maybe shouldnt be given to SARS patients?

[CathyRyan]

You need to ask so one with a medical background that question. :)

[Domestic Church]

"Threads about chemtrails are subject to immediate Zot."

Sounds good to me but would you enlighten the old folks at home about this zot phenomena (where the heck this lingo came from etc...is this from some sci fi comic?)...the zot system does seem to work well here on FR!

[Dog Gone]

Click here

[Domestic Church]

"MHV activation of the p38 MAP-kinase pathway results in phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF4E, which in turn contributes to a high level production of virus."

It seems the biochemists are alerting to a probable contraindication to using aspirin as its metabolism triples the viral production...no surprise as the possibility was discussed previously.

[Lessismore]

Thanks. The detailed treatment in the later update on "cases" describes transmission in the Toronto hospitals.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:97535601191075020::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,21424