Are you aware of the SARS disease?
 

If you haven't heard already, go here.

I live in Toronto - I am all too well aware of it.

I am very familiar with it (well just from reading the news) and a lil scared of it since my roommate just got back from spring break in China.

SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) will sooner or later be a large world fear. So far it hasn't hit Africa (yet) with any documented cases but it is a lethal disease. It is not surprising that it started in China since their way of growing animals is very archaic and dangerous to health. Birds have been traced to be the cause of many flu and other respiratory diseases (beats me how but they just do. Just think about that bird you have in a cage:D ). The chickens are grown in close quarters to pig and cows so that the cows will unknowingly pick up the illness and when those animals are killed for meat or other products, the disease is passed onto humans. I don't know if it is a virus or bacteria but I have a strong suspicion that it should be a bacteria since many newer diseases similar to this one have been traced back to bacteria. However some viruses can look like (not physically but similar symptoms) bacteria in what they do so there is the chance that it could be a virus. It may kill thousands or millions and then just disappear like the Spanish Flu did during World War II. But people, the likelihood that you will pick up the disease is very unlikely. Quarantine setup by the g-men seem to be working so go on building robots. Nothing to see here folks keep moving.

what is very discering is, im not being racist or anything, that the majority of deaths were from azains, and this some thing that makes me think it could have been engineered. Over here in PA 5 people have it and have made a full recovery. i think this could have been an engineered bug.

the majority of deaths are asians because the outbreak started in china (if I remember correctly)
I live in st pete and we just had som cases repoted in tampa (right across the bay)

Nobody has died from it in the US. Also, the average rate of death is 4%. As was the case with AIDS, you are more affraid of what you don't know. I think this is being blown out of proportion. Sure, it's a problem, but nothing big.

The death toll from SARS in Toronto is now up to 7.

The number of cases is in the 100's.

http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/health/sars/index.htm for more info.

Sure the death rate is only 4% because we have only known about this sickness for a few months, if that. It is only at 4% because victims havent had enough time to actually be killed by the disease (I know its grim, but it is true). In reality, this could be a huge killer and we just havent seen it yet.

Cory

the reason why many of the deaths are of people of asian descent is that the SARS came from China and was carried by tourists or whoever from China. Probably the majority of the people on the plane are going to be asian and some of those people would have been infected. That does not mean that all asian people carry SARS. What it does mean is to be cautious around those who have visited China or countries nearby in the past probably month. It is hard to say how long the dormancy period is on the SARS if it has one at all. I'm not going to worry about it though. Still have a better chance of being hit by a drunk driver than killed with SARS.

you must remeber, these are the cases and deaths we know about, there could be alot more. i just dont like the timing and how the virus works, i really think it was a genen (geneticaly engineered)

the cases in the us that i am aware of have all fully recovered. In asia, that hasnt happened yet. And for canada, i do not know, it is an irregularity in the logic

If it was genetically engineered it would have killed a lot more people by now. No (wacky) geneticist would go to the trouble to create a virus that only has hit minute proportion of the world. And remember, viruses are known to mutate after a set number of years. It is a historical pattern that has existed for almost to the beginning of life on Earth. Why do continually get the cold every year. Cold viruses have an extremely high mutation rate allowing for continual infection of the same organism. And look at the Spanish Flu. It came out during WWII and there was nothing that was man-made about it. It came it disappeared without a trace and no cure was created. So don't go paranoid. The amount of money it costs for genetically modifying whatever is expensive. There will probably still be a lot more infections but please don't call it a terrorist attack. History shows that every so often, there are large population kills that reduce species in order to control the population from going over a necessary food supply or environment. It's part of the history on this Earth and we are a part of it.

very true, it just doesnt act like a normal virus/bacteria the way it attacks is very abnormal, its just a feeling i have, it could be a time bomb virus or even a test

I did some research through the BBC, the only trusted news site, and I found some evidence that it would only be a regular virus and not genen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2891467.stm

according to health officials reporting to the BBC, the virus is of the corona virus family, the common cold. Viruses like these mutate all the time into increasingly virulent strains. Mutation is natural but so far is no where near the epidemics faced in previous years.

SARS, basically, is a form of pneumonia.

Just a lot worse.

Yes it is....
Actually its interesting. My dad is a doctor and he is trained in what numbers to call.... there is a whole network for the location and discovery of SARS in the US. Also, there are theories of SARS being 2 viruses intercombined.... and no, I don't think it is genetically modified.... actually if anyone wants to know about more... I can ask my dad.

I agree it isn't genetically modified for two reasons. Number one this disease originated from the country side of China and number two genetically making a disease is really only possible for scientists with loads of lab equipment. I believe they tried to make a smallpox virus with genetic material that can be obtained easily but unfournatly it is really expensive to do.

The reason deadly diseases usually come from animals is because from an evolutionary standpoint, killing your host is a very bad strategy. Their are millions of bacteria and viruses that are completely harmless to humans. Many have evolved to the point of coexisting with us. Diseases that kill the host to quickly must either mutate to a non-virulent strain or run their hosts into extinction, making it impossible to continue to spread. The diseases deadly to humans generally come from another organism that is similiar enough to humans for it to infect us (while being harmless to its normal host). The disease has not evolved to the point of coexisting or at least not heavily injuring us because we are not the normal host. Eventually the disease must either mutate into a harmless strain, eliminate all potential hosts, or kill its hosts before it can effeciently spread. In history "plagues" generally die out relatively quickly.

its probably viral, because bacteria mostly leave some big prints behind thme selves, because u would find toxins, cells, and/or lesions or other bodily reactions. Plus, bacteria are programmed to adapt to the host, all organisms have a basic want to live, that is why they can exist for a long while.

Yes, it's already determined as viral I believe. Viruses are interesting.....
Actually I hope to major in Microbiology/ nanotechnology in college (that's where I am going next year)
This is an interesting thread for me.... haha I'm a nerd!

The death rate is like, up to about 15% 2 weeks ago from what I heard.

I ain't really got much fear on it....just like what FDR (I think) said: "you have nothing to fear, but fear itself". Why get worked up over this, if you can't do anything about it? Virii can't be killed, they have to work through the system. And then if you try medicines (sp?) all the time, they become super virii.

I just got back from a cruise. At the Port of Miami we had to fill out this sheet asking like a hundred questions about SARS. It asked things like whether you have been to the countries of Canada, China, and a few others. The cruise went to a few ports in the Caribbean then going to Key West and back to Miami. In Key West the United States National Guard bored our ship and inspected every hallway. They said that everyone had to report to this one lounge on the ship with their documents (birth certificate, passport, etc.) at seven o'clock in the morning in order for the ship to be allowed to enter the US. The national security is so rediculous.

i live outside of toronto, so its on the news all the time here. from what i last heard, the death toll here stands at 32, but it could be higher.

i just came back from my doctors appointment at the hospital, and i had to answer all the screening questions related to sars.

personally, i think sars was blown way out of proportion by the media. i know that sounds wrong and cruel, considering those that have passed away because of it, but its just my opinion. from what i have heard, the chances of getting sars are really slim.

my family and i were talking about sars one night, and my mom brought up the point that all of the cases in toronto have been linked back to hospitals. implying that sars isnt as big of a threat because in hospitals, the places are kept so clean and sanitary that a small disease is a big thing and can be contracted more easily than when not in a health care environment. however, when you are in the city, there are so many other diseases and germs (like west nile, mad cow, even the flu) around that can be gotten easier, that sars justs falls into the background. i have to agree with her.

lastly, there are a lot of statistics on the web saying how unlikely it is for a person to get sars, but i cant remember them right now, and am too tired to go to bed.


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ps- if some of the wording didnt make sense, i am sorry, but its late and i need to get some sleep for my math exam tomorrow. wish me luck!!

Yeah, I agree. It's a serious issue, but there is no reason to scare everybody into believing that they all will catch it and die. Thats the media for you. :rolleyes:

I had a dream about SARS last night coming to LA, that's when you know they're publicizing it too much if i start to dream or rather nightmare about it.

/me shrugs...While it has been covered far too much in regions that don't need to worry about it (as most of the news we watch isn't even important either but that's another rant) some could see it as better then when it wasn't publicized at all and that's how it got spread so quickly because people just weren't aware and didn't know how to deal. Alas the tradeoffs that we must chose between.

i agree that something had to be said to the general public, but there is a fine line between informing people of the risks of sars and scaring them to death (no pun intended) about it.

It cancelled my Chinese class's trip to China . . . well, postponed it a year, pending control of the disease.

If It wasn't for SARS, I would be living large in China as we speak. 4 star hotels, buffet meals . . . . aaaa, grrrrr. stoopid SARS.

At least there is always next year.

Sometimes the media is blowing things out of proportion to attract more attention... But it's quite scary when you hear that in Taiwan, thousands of medical personal is resigning because their government is incapable of handling SARS, as a result, lots of doctors are infected because of the failure of the government to educate people about this. There are doctors who don't even go home fearing they will infect their family, there are others quitting for the very same reason.

Basically, the worst case that could happen, is when the disease is spreaded beyond control, and your medical personnel are quitting because of fear and dying from the disease. Kind of like the break down of a society when a plague has gone to its worst phrase.

Yes... the media could be blowing this out of proportion for this... But you guys don't live in Taiwan, or Hong Kong, or China. You haven't seen everyone on the street wearing masks. Just be very very careful when you might have a chance of getting the bug. Treat it like it could harm you a great deal. Don't be scared. Just be aware of it, and very careful.

I totally agree with Ken. Also, I read somewhere a little while back that the government in China was taking away doctors licenses to practice medicine if they refused to treat SARS patients. Isnt that great? now someone who just needs regular medical attenton cant get it because the government revoked their doctors license.

Cory

I am not aware of the SARS disease at all, even though I live in Toronto and I visited China 5 month ago. I mean come on, we don't have to be pulled down by SARS. Remeber, we still have to live no matter what and life goes on.

By The Way: Toronto is a safe place to visit!!!! :)

what ken said makes a lot of sense and i have to agree with him. i mean, in canada you live in a world of sanctuary where nothing can hurt you and you are always safe. but, then you read posts like that and realize what it might be like living somewhere else.

one of the schools in mississauga (a city outside of toronto where the cdn regionals were held) cancelled their school trip to montreal (which is in quebec, the province to the east of ontario - little geography lesson there- ).

i have to admit that i am shocked that you have not heard of sars. it is one of the biggest things in the news since the second outbreak (which is happenning now)