Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus (NPR, April 25 2014)

[Giuseppe]

[Source: NPR, full page: (LINK).]


Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus

by Jason Beaubien / April 24, 2014 6:16 PM ET


The latest medical acronym to fear is MERS: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. The virus has killed 83 people in the Arabian Gulf since first emerging in 2012 and now looks as if it could pose a global threat. This week, the number of new cases rose at a rate that causes concern, the World Health Organization said in a statement.

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[Giuseppe]

Re: Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus (NPR, April 25 2014)

US is doing well to be worried about MERS: with all these drones Flying over some of the Yemeni or Somali skies, I am pretty sure the Saudi patients' throngs at hospital E.D. have been spotted (if they exist, indeed).

Here, in the dilapidated European Union, we are intercepting much more of the stuff (through massive flow of migrants, rescued at thousands per day from Mediterranea States Navy Ships.

So far, it seems these people, that have passed several of the regions affected by MERS (both in camels and humans) are healthy.

This is one of the most puzzling features in this MERS crisis: what is the reason behind the lack of illness among these migrants, surely well stressed and undernourished after weeks long land and sea travel?

But perhaps US drones may clarify the situation on the ground in a better way...gm

 

[Nika]

Re: Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus (NPR, April 25 2014)

not sure how US drones over Yemen or Somalia reveals the situation in SA. I have a feeling that SA would take considerable exception at the US flying any sort of surveillance over SA (without their cooperation).

Have all these migrants you speak of been tested? How can we say anything at all about them if they have not.

The globalized nature of SA (high mobility of rich and the working classes - so MANY of the nurses are imported from south east asia for example) and the complex layers of society will make epidemiological analysis that much more difficult.

No doubt that there will be no easy answers to this outbreak.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus (NPR, April 25 2014)

As thousands of migrants are rescued per day in Southern Italy, I suspect that at least a 'sample' of them will underwent medical examinations, taking into account the great number of children and pregnant women among the refugees.

These people then are referred to detention centres for months: an outbreak of respiratory illness with substantial morbidity and mortality will develop quickly if the virus would be present and easily transmissible h2h.

We have, through these migrants, the opportunity to early detect cases of infectious diseases, emerging or not, and to verify indirectly the epidemiological situation of their countries of origin.

I am stunned of the lack of interest demonstrated in the current massive migrants influx to Southern Mediterranean regions, and the message they are sending to our dull politicians and high rank health experts.

 

[JimO]

Re: Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus (NPR, April 25 2014)

not sure how US drones over Yemen or Somalia reveals the situation in SA. I have a feeling that SA would take considerable exception at the US flying any sort of surveillance over SA (without their cooperation).

There is no need for drones to see that kind of activity. Satellite images would be sufficient.