I have seen a fair amount of news off and on about the new Middle Eastern pandemic scare, but it quieted down (as pandemics often do). This newest report looked alarming, but not necessarily alarmist.
Potential for the International Spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in Association with Mass Gatherings in Saudi Arabia PLOS Current Outbreaks, 17 July 2013 (hat tip: NC)
A novel coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causing severe, life-threatening respiratory disease has emerged in the Middle East at a time when two international mass gatherings in Saudi Arabia are imminent. While MERS-CoV has already spread to and within other countries, these mass gatherings could further amplify and/or accelerate its international dissemination, especially since the origins and geographic source of the virus remain poorly understood.
This is what pandemics, including the 1918 Spanish Influenza look like. They weave and dodge, never effecting all areas at the same time, and often come in waves. You don't get 99% death rates depopulating whole countries in a week. Or more exactly, nothing like that has come close to happening.
2 comments:
A week or two ago, the hospitals started receiving generic warnings on the Chinese Bird FLu and the virus from the Middle East.
Nothing at all apocalyptic, but I took it that they ARE expecting these viruses to show up here at some point.
Matt: interesting.
Of course it is always billed as an over reaction: until it isn't.
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