Interesting Story on SARS to a US Health Site...

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Topic: SARS: The Mysterious Virus with Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP >>

Discussion: Hong Kong's 18-hour " day " smoke & mirrors by AnAmericanInHongKong

 

Hong Kong's 18-hour " day " smoke & mirrors

by AnAmericanInHongKong, on 4/20/2003 0:36:45 AM

 

Smoke & mirrors is still the code of the day in Hong Kong. No doubt

most of you heard about our 12 deaths " in a single day " , but did you know the

cut-off was before the 7:pm local news? What happened in the remaining 6 hours?

What I've been told is that the additional deaths will be reported on a day with

fewer deaths. This comes from an ICU nurse unable to return home now for a

couple of weeks as she is " dormed " on hospital grounds with others who have been

exposed to SARS patients.

 

Another Chinese nurse arriving from Macau this Easter weekend, able

to leave using her sister's documents & ID so she can come back to Hong Kong and

be with her parents, says the infection & death rate are both high but as Macau

is the " Las Vegas " of Asia they're not about to frighten any gamblers away with

honest reports about SARS.

 

Macau (as in Macau, China...same as Hong Kong, China) promises not

only a SARS free environment to relax in but the usual promise of potential

instant wealth in their many casinos. Think about it!

 

This woman, working within ICU in a Macau hospital, says the SARS

cases are first isolated on her ward and then quickly removed and transported

elsewhere in the Pearl River Delta, by car & boat. She says it's to a military

sanatorium where TB, wet & dry Leprosy, and other infectious & tropical diseases

from Malaria to hemorrahgic fever are contained and, if possible, treated. She

says the place is located in the deep South Western area of the Chinese

Mainland, North of Hainan Island, with another massive complex on Hainan Island,

both within the military reservation and area of complete control and may as

well be " invisible " or " non-existent " .

 

She won't come forward and is afraid of retaliation if found out,

same as co-workers she says. She must be back at work on Monday in Macau, here

for only these 2 days.

 

And she's been exposed daily for several months but still wanted to

come home so strongly that she is no different than the others who thoughtlessly

expose people to SARS. She'll return to Macau the same way she came to Hong

Kong, on a " TurboCat " high-speed hydrofoil ferry that carries several hundred

people in a closed and very humid environment for an hour. And as if to make

what she is doing seem insignificant, she say's this is standard practice and

other hospital workers are doing the same thing.

 

Her excuse? She felt she had no choice as she wasn't feeling well

and wanted to see her parents one more time before she possibly became seriously

ill. I'm speechless and my talking with her just didn't sink in the least bit!

She showed up at a bar-b-que today and is telling a few of us her story,

corroborated by her family's Amah (domestic helper) at the picnic with

her...telling us that her " boss " indeed works in that Macau hospital in ICU and

is terrified. After trying to talk with her to see if she would be willing to

come forward if protection were guaranteed, but failing, I asked her one last

question: What will happen to her when she is diagnosed with SARS? She said at

that point she already had been but had bribed the technician to hide her report

so she could come to Hong Kong and be able to continue to work as she had no

other source of income. If she couldn't continue working because of full-blown

SARS they would take her to the place she told us all about until she either

died or got better. I immediately left, as did 4 other people, but the others

weren't about to miss out on a bar-b-que on a beautiful day at Bride's Pool in

the New Territories, saying that on such a nice warm & breezy day outdoors

nothing could possibly go wrong. No one was wearing a mask in the " SARS

free...mask free countryside (their words). Not good...not good at all!

 

Concerning what Macau has to gain through all of this deceit, if you

haven't figured it out by now? Money money money...plain & simple! The so-called

" privatization " of business from one end to the other, whether

telecommunications or the gambling resorts still require partnerships with

Chinese who regularly exchange their " uniform " from what is easily recognized as

military, to the less suspicious (they hope) business suit. Underneath it's the

same people and intrigues & deceit, and it's always about money & power!

 

Ok...I don't mean to sound melodramatic but what I've just shared

with you can get me killed, if not just tossed out of this place. So, on that

note I think I'd best find a warm spot on a hillside and enjoy this beautiful

afternoon on my second day out of voluntary quarantine. As to my being exposed

to the ICU nurse...sigh...I'll get back in to see my doctor after the Easter

holiday as most places are using the 4 day holiday here to just close up and get

away from the stress. I understand that but it's the classic question of where

are they when we need them...except they're only human and just need a well

deserved break. But exposed and at a bar-b-que as she did? I can only hope not

but I know all too well the realities of human nature, especially in this, and a

few other cultures & societies...no offense intended! Sigh!

 

REPLY to this Post | MORE POSTS by AnAmericanInHongKong

 

 

 

 

Collapse Messages

 

 

 

a.. Re: Hong Kong's 18-hour " day " smoke & mirrors

by gord26, on 4/20/2003 3:45:36 AM

 

My God, Yank (I hope you don't mind if I call you " Yank " ...it's

shorter), that's terrible! That a nurse, a trained professional, would

jeopardize the public like that. And for her to admit that she had SARS, and

then bribed them to hush it up. This will never be controlled if that sort of

thing is going on. It's a different mindset, I guess. I sure hope you didn't

catch it.

I hope you don't smoke either. This article said that of a case

study of 10, all smokers required ventilation, but only one non-smoker:

 

Http://www.nationalpost.com/national/story.html?id=1C4E05DA-2C94-4500-BD54-512B8\

0239E6C

 

Good luck! Gord26

 

 

 

REPLY to this Post | MORE POSTS by gord26

 

 

a.. Cover up, selfishness, fear and ignorance

by GANOMA, on 4/20/2003 11:25:16 PM

 

China sacks health minister and Beijing mayor for Sars cover up.

There are people who break the quarantine, and suspected Sars and Sars patients

escape from hospitals have been reported. There are people who take supplements

like vitamin C, garlic, vinegar, cooling teas and herbs etc., smell aromatic

scent, using more disinfectants and anti-bacteria soaps and detergents out of

fear and ignorance.

Fortunately there are people who are self imposed; if they cough

they wear masks, stay home and see medical providers.

 

Although there is no effective vaccine or direct treatment but

doctors are currently reported to use anti-viral and steriods to treat mature

patients. Apparently it has been reported in HK that Sars virus is getting more

aggressive in new cases and is not responding well to the treatment.

 

Precautionary measures are important. If neccessary wear

protective gears when visiting hot spots like mask, gloves, clothings and avoid

contact with suspected Sars or Sars people. Always maintain good personal

hygiene and habits. Clean and high standard of household hygiene is healthy

atmosphere. Take more food stuffs that promote your immune system as well as

good for respiratory and digestive systems like sweet potatoes, carrots, green

and yellow vegetables, mushrooms, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries and

papaya. Effective herbs like mushroom family especially wild lingzhi. The

component of wild lingzhi, polysaccharides have been found to stimulate host

resistance and immunity against viruses. I take and keep stock of wild lingzhi

for a decade because I know the medicinal value of natural and precious herb.

Cultivated lingzhi do not have such natural nutrient.

 

 

 

REPLY to this Post | MORE POSTS by GANOMA

 

 

a.. Re: Hong Kong's 18-hour " day " smoke & mirrors

by garp13, on 4/21/2003 0:03:07 AM

 

Good to hear from you again, and my apologies for being away for a

few days .. I've thought of you frequently and told your story several times.

 

There must be something that we can do to somehow get this story

more " out there " . Not, of course, if it would in any way endanger you. I do

understand that this forum must be judicious about what content is allowed to be

made public, but since anonymity is assured, is there some way this could be

facilitated?

 

Some, or many launches of this story simultaneously in the world

news arena could not but help shed light into these murky waters. This nurse's

story for example (being a nurse myself ... unbelievable .....). If the only end

result were to educate expats, the healthcare professionals (and I now use that

term loosely, though the intellectual side of me still tries to apply the

cultural standards of the locale) and the public at large on the very real

likelihood that they threaten their very own loved ones,never mind Joe Q Public.

It must be worth it.

 

I asked my 22 y/o stepson today, for instance, if he was keeping

up on what was going on in the world with SARS. He works at our international

airport you see. He looked at me as though I had rocks in my head, just laughed

and said " What's that got to do with me? " . He lives on his own and has much

better things to do than watch the news you see.

 

Your past discussions on cultural differences did not fall on deaf

ears nor a closed mind, indeed I have neither. I have done considerable travel

and have learned enough about cultural differences to appreciate what you have

said. This particular concept though, truly does leave me cold. The real word

threat is immeasurable in my opinion.

 

My faith in the integrity of the WHO and CDC is certainly strong,

but like you, I feel the political and, let's not underestimate, the financial

restrictions under which they must operate certainly ties their hands. The

almighty dollar does rule the world, not people or religion. Just money, money,

money.

 

But information too is a powerful thing, and may be the only thing

that stands even a fighting chance against this most powerful threat. That

comment comes from my inherent optimistic nature.

 

Now that the " War in Iraq " is over, perhaps the world will now

begin to hear more of the truth about the important, real and indeed frightening

and necessary " World War on SARS " . Though not NEW, it will seem so, to much of

the world I'm afraid.

 

I leave you with this thought, how can we get personal stories

like this out into the world news forum? I think it's imperative for people to

hear front page stories about individuals. It seems to be the only think people

really understand. Stats mean nothing. We must make this increasingly human and

real to them or it will never make a true impact. Death numbers don't make it

real. At least as a health care professional,that's how I see it.

 

Just an opinion, and I do welcome your thoughts and those of

others as well, particularly gord26, who I see has been very active as well on

this topic. If there is anything I can do from my end (Canada), please just

advise.

 

All the best to you and I particularly look forward to a personal

health update from you! Hoping you are well and continue to be , especially

after your unfortunate weekend encounters!

 

Sincerely ... BF

 

 

 

 

REPLY to this Post | MORE POSTS by garp13

 

 

a.. Sanitorium in Hainan?

by Hainanlaoshi, on 4/22/2003 3:04:59 AM NEW!

 

When you say " massive complex on Hainan " " on the military

reservation " what do you mean? I'm within walking distance of one of the

military reservations on Hainan (there's several) and this is the first I've

heard of any type of sanitorium, like what you've mentioned. It doesn't seem

very logical. Hainan wants to keep just as squeaky clean as Macao -- we're

dependant on those tourist dollars you know. Why would China jeapordize their

military in such a strategic place? Hainan is working just as hard as Macao on

covering up. " No SARS in Hainan " in media yesterday -- just after a middle

school died here of SARS. The irony is they just hired our chief Hainan

cover-upper -- the Party Secretary -- the take the place of the ousted Beijing

mayor.

 

 

 

REPLY to this Post | MORE POSTS by Hainanlaoshi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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