OT: SARS In Canada

[JonN]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

Even common influenza claims more lives. The flu kills about 36,000 people around the world each year. If you multiply the average number of SARS deaths so far to the time period of a year, you get just over 4,000

[CGW409]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

Harold
Here in the Chicago area we're hoping SARS doesn't become a big thing,
Mayor Richie might order anyone coughing or sneezing shot on sight as a threat to the people of Chicago.

[Paul1953]

RE: OT: SARS In Canada

So far so good. Fatalities in Toronto approach 20. Most of these people had other medical problems, which made their own situations worse. Remember that this is considered a virulant form of pneumonia, and pneumonia kills thousands of people every year, without all the Chicken Littles jumping all over it, like this case.
There have been no new cases in 8 days, and the W.H.O. is reconsidering its position on Tuesday.
Too little, too late, poor response by all levels of government, and the damage is done. No one can even hazard a guess as to how much has been lost in wages and business here but it will run into the billions. Combine that with the downturn in tourism we've had in the last 3 years and you quickly realise we are in for a rough time, for maybe a year or more.
The reality is that the spring flu outbreak to come will kill thousands world wide and you will not see the kind of punitive action as taken against Toronto. More people died today in car accidents, in Canada, than will succumb to this disease.
Not trying to belittle the situation, and my sympathies are for those who lost family. Having survived pneumonia myself ( and its scary itself) I'm hoping that others will keep it in perspective.

[davereage]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

>With a fatality rate of less than 3% (ordinary pneumonia is
>higher), this shouldn't even be on the radar. More media
>fear-mongering.

Well said.....the media is having a field day with this.

Look at the number of people who have died in China, it's somewhere around 100 people. While it is unfortunate that these people have died, one hundred people in a country with a population of over a billion people is really a tiny percentage.

People need to calm down.

[precision]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

Well at least Canadian railroads know how to take care of their train service personnel. Microwaves, fridges, hot plates, I wanted to stop the other day to pick up a old couch on side of the right of way and sit in the middle of the cab. i wish we had it that good. the only downside is no air conditioning. But that crazy MTO thought that someone might have the SARS virus and not know it and so happen that they worked for the railroad or one of its online customers and somehow contaminate the product and it so happened to be on the MTTPB. I figure its a one in 50,000 chance of that happenin. But you guys in canada stay safe.

[ssw_96]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

Mel the Mouth. Hey what was that protest that wnet on a month or two ago? it involved some woman and her husband being bombarded with cream pies? None of ya'll wasnt in on it was you?

[HAC]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

The mortality rate in Ontario is bordering on 10%. The real problem isn't SARS as such, but the inadequacy of the Ontario health system, and the Canadian health care system as well. Having said that, if I was living in Toronto, I'd be more worried about having Mel the Mouth as Mayor, than SARS.
Cheers
Harold

[CGW409]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

AK
not really, this time it's just coincidental,during the killer flu back in the early 20th century WW I was the reason it traveled, not as a weapon but because of all the men under arms in close proximity and traveling the world over in large amounts.
Now we've got much more rapid transport via civilian means.
But when you look at the fatality rates now I'm begining to think this is more along the shark attack stories that were big news in the states just before 9/11/01 or the local news sweeps stories (ei) "YOUR TOASTER CAN KILL YOU!! FIND OUT TONIGHT AT 10 IF OSAMA BIN LADEN IS HIDING IN THE CRUMB TRAY!!!! type stories

[AK74]

RE: Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

Someone is resposible for the creation of this disease. It seems odd to flare up that fast at the time of war especially. ¿Seem odd to you?

[CGW409]

RE: OT: SARS In Canada

Larkie
Smoking coaches have been a thing of the past for about 10-15 years here in the states.
The nicotine nazis thought it would be horrible if on a crowded train or if they boarded the smoker by mistake that they'd exposed to killer second hand smoke.
As for our friends to the north, stay safe, but remember this has happened before, those who remember history will remenber the childrens saying from a century ago...
"I had a little bird
it's name is enza.
I opened up the window
and in flew Enza"
The killer flu of a century ago was also going to wipe out mankind and with medical technolgy of the time one could see where they got that idea.
It would be interesting to compare death rates to SARS against other nasty flu bugs and see if to some degree this isn't getting just a bit overblown.

[Robber Baron]

Media is blowing this WAY out of proportion.

With a fatality rate of less than 3% (ordinary pneumonia is higher), this shouldn't even be on the radar. More media fear-mongering.

[mailer_diablo]

RE: OT: SARS In Canada

Speaking about that, looks people fear going to Tan Tock Seng Hospital now, even though sufficient precautions have been taken...

[Stooopid_person]

RE: OT: SARS In Canada

I'm living in a SARS infected country right now but everyone is proceding with normal life except that we wash our hands with soap more often, avoid crowded places.

[ssw_96]

RE: OT: SARS In Canada

I wonder if the general public knew about that, would the number of smokers rise? And to think something so harmful would kill another harmful thing. I'll say the puffers are better protected than we are. But as long as it comes to an end.

[LARKIE]

RE: OT: SARS In Canada

It's been in the US for a while,see http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/sars.htm and it'll get a lot worse in most medical opinion before it gets better.

The funny thing is that for once smokers are partially protected,due to viruses being killed by nicotine,and the tobacco smoke molecules,being much larger than the virus,preventing lodgement in the lungs.Not that I'm advocating anybody to start smoking,but the option is there.

Of course in this PC age the "Health Police" would rather try to prevent you dying of a smoking related disease in 30 years time,than help prevent you dying of a virus disease in a few days.

I don't know if you have "smoking" coaches on US trains,but as this disease is estimated,by the WHO,to potentially kill 10% of those whom it infects,I know what coach I'll be sitting in.