Taiwan reports record one-day jump of 65 new SARS cases

Channel Asia ^

[per loin]

Health authorities in Taiwan on Thursday reported 65 new cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) - the biggest one-day rise.

The latest figures, attributed to the government's speeding up of its confirmation process, brings the country's toll to 483 cases.

The Department of Health did not identify the latest victims or give details of the new cases.

Eight more fatalities were also recorded.

Thursday's new reports came just a day after the World Health Organization extended its SARS travel warning to cover all of Taiwan, and not just the capital Taipei.

[dc-zoo]

Taiwan appears to be increasing their daily count to catch up on the suspected cases they've been holding back. If all of these new cases are critical patients they are coming ever so much closer to a critical mass epidemic.

[per loin]

Their figures are so irregular, that I'd guess there to be the sound of political struggles behind them.

[Future Useless Eater]

AM: Could we get this added to Breaking News please?

I wouldn't call their figures all that irregular. Looks like a pretty steady climb to me...

• Taiwan's active cases are still exploding, and most of these are in critical condition. And 90% of these are dying.
• Taiwan's 'REAL' count should be FOUR or FIVE HUNDRED higher than this.
                         May 22  (349) active cases
  Apr 30   (41) 

[EternalHope]

Hoping aristeides can ping his list on this one.

[aristeides]

Internet alerted medical community to SARS.

[Dog Gone]

What's disturbing about this is that Taiwan recognized the danger very early and took some pretty drastic measures to make sure they didn't get an outbreak. It didn't do any good.

[Judith Anne]

Good article. Thanks to all participating.

[blam]

Bump.

[Prince Charles]

Bttt.

[Nov3]

What's disturbing about this is that Taiwan recognized the danger very early and took some pretty drastic measures to make sure they didn't get an outbreak. It didn't do any good.

Stop your scaremongering. This isn't a contagious disease!

[Dog Gone]

I'm fearmongering, not scaremongering. Get a clue!

[EternalHope]

I'm fearmongering, not scaremongering. Get a clue!

Ahem... You may think I am just another garden variety fear monger.

HOWEVER, I have invented a sure-fire cure for SARS!

It's too secret to give out any details, of course, but I'd be willing to sell you a few shares in my new company!!!

Cheap at any price...

[Nov3]

I'm fearmongering, not scaremongering. Get a clue!

I stand corrected!

[_Jim]

... It didn't do any good.

Statement made upon no good basis. The fact is, you don't know how their measures prevented this from being that much worse than it presently is ...

[Dog Gone]

What kind of a silly criticism is that? Let me rephrase it, then.

Their efforts were not successful in preventing a community outbreak.

And as long as we're entering the Stupid Land Of Criticizing For No Apparent Reason, how do you know that I don't know? You have no basis for that statement.

[aristeides]

The spread on Taiwan may well have been through hospital laundry: One SARS victim may have exposed thousands in Taiwan; ill CDC expert to come home.