The terrorist smallpox threat comes from xSoviet bioengineered smallpox. They made hundreds of tons of the stuff and several tons are still around. There are only a few vials of natural smallpox left.
Natural smallpox. 40-60% morbidity. 7-15 day incubation period. 10-30% lethality.
xSoviet biowar smallpox. 60-90% morbidity. 1-5 day incubation period! 30-50% lethality.
Check the chapter titled "The Soviet Betrayal" in the book Sourge.
Blumenthal's logic is nonsense. Just look at Legionaire's disease. The organism was incubating in air conditioning systems and was probably previously undiagnosed. Does Dr. Blumenthal actually believe that Iraq's healthcare system is capable of positively identifying the virus?
If doctors in Iraq can easily identify the virus and it's contagious spread, then he would be correct. While the clinical presentation may be obvious to our eyes, an untrained younger physician could mistake it for something else. At that point, the virus would spread, unless the persons around the index case (i.e. hospital staff) are immunized.
Blumenthal accepts that primary care physicians and emergency room staff are at risk in the first wave of the bioterrorist's gambit. I'd like to ask Dr. Blumenthal if he would like to advocate for small pox vaccine distribution immediately in order to protect the people that he recognizes as casualities.
This physician would thank him for his support!