Kok Chamkar, Cambodia—The death of Tit Sokhan from the bird flu here in January may seem inconsequential to anyone outside this idyllic farming village 120 miles southwest of the capital, Phnom Penh. But given that Sokhan’s brother died just before her from bird flu-like symptoms and that the World Health Organization (WHO) says Cambodia could have many more undetected bird flu… return to article
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Reader Comments (8)Page 1 of 1 pagesConcerning the Bird Flu, the WHO, and the present administration, and that of his father’s, it seems we have some type of virus or flu that is around. The WHO stated in 1972,of a serious consequences of a growing world population and the need for population control. In the last 4 years we have had quite a few viruses pop up.
Food for thought!
Posted by Martha Eskridge on Mar 1, 2005 at 8:24 PM Martha,
As much as I dislike the current US president and disagree with his entire agenda, I think it is preposterous to suggest a link between him and the outbreak of a Bird Flu pandemic.
Flu pandemics just happen. Spanish Flu, Asian Flu, Hong Kong Flu….. Every 25 or 35 years a new one rolls out. It’s no one’s “fault”.
Posted by Ben on Mar 2, 2005 at 7:28 AM Our government has the responsibility to look into
this crisis of bird flu. The scientists warning
should be a wake up call for our President and those
top down in governmental branches that can look
into and prevent this flu virus from affecting our
food supply. The recent “mad cow disease” was
another issue that was not addressed by FDA
adequately and now people are subjected to getting
the disease due to lack of surveillance on the
part of the very government agency that has
been designated to protect us. This republican
administration is too busy eroding laws in all
governmentatl agencies through de-regulating
efforts that puts millions Americans at risk.
They could care less about such things as bird
flu . Unless our governmental leaders are affected
personally by the virus little will be done to
address the problem.
Posted by ANN on Mar 2, 2005 at 3:31 PM I still think it’s, food for thought, that we have had all types of viruses since Bush became president. Quite a coinsidence!
Posted by martha eskridge on Mar 2, 2005 at 6:00 PM Yeah - not to mention the horrible earthquake in Bam and the tsunami! Perhaps Bush is the anti-Christ?
Posted by yeah on Mar 2, 2005 at 8:54 PM “...A few days later, Oi Ngoy’s 14-year-old son Tit Chiang fell ill.
‘He had a fever and couldn’t breathe normally so we took him to the hospital,’ Oi Ngoy said. ‘The doctors gave him two bags of saline solution [but] then they told us to take him home. They said maybe we’d done something to offend our ancestors, and we should make an offering to them…’”
<sigh>
Sad and revealing lines. They speak volumes. “Offended ancestors” causing disease; unfortunately tenacious ideas. Check out Richard Dawkins’ take on “memes”, ideas and beliefs that propagate, mutate, and endure according to a psychocultural version of natural selection, quite interesting.
(If only the damn ghosts were half as potent as our stories make them out to be. They aren’t strong enough to talk to us but they can kill us at a distance… Odd.)
Anyway… It does make sense for the rich-country governments to invest in research on viral mutation and transmission. Seems to be in the general interest, even the interest of rich people who have a greater chance to insulate themselves (but in the end, the little bugs just change shape and take hold wherever they can, eh?). Bush and the other national leaders should back such research in the interest of their various constituencies, but in truth, I don’t buy the idea that he’s in any way responsible for viral outbreaks. Reminds me too much of the “AIDS created in a lab” story that started circulating about 10 years ago; natural processes are plenty sufficient to explain all of it. Even though I’d fire Bush and his crew in a split-second, I wouldn’t want to glamorize him so; I was even left unconvinced by the “Hitler” comparison.
Posted by Kuya on Mar 3, 2005 at 12:20 AM The only way in which Bush may be in any way responsible for people getting sick with viruses, is that he and his administration have caused a great deal of stress in the country, not to mention the world, and people who are chronically stressed usually have somewhat compromised immune system. They therefore, may become sick more easily when exposed to whatever bacteria or virus.
The last pandemic was pretty bad, but this time world travel will make it much, much worse. If they cannot find a way to stop this virus now, in the countries where it currently is wreaking havoc, it will surely get to America because it is the center of the Empire (all roads lead to Rome/America). With the dollar sinking like a stone, more visitors may come to buy cheap goods with cheap dollars, and of course the business travel never stops.
I wonder what the incubation period is for this bad little virus. I would guess 4 to 5 days. When does one begin becoming contagious. Probably, before one becomes sick. Think how many people could be exposed to the virus in 4 days of travel in the U.S. of one exposed person, who then become ill and dies. 75% mortality rate?
That would sure take care of the social security problem. Bush didn’t cause the Bird flu, but he had damned well better contain it, because the U.S. does not have Universal Healthcare. People will postpone going to the E.R or their Physician, because they can’t afford it, don’t want to assume more debt than they already have. Those people will expose millions. A Bird flu pandemic in the U.S., with its compromised Heathcare system and everyday mobility of its citizens is s sitting duck.
Posted by Dot Dedman on Mar 3, 2005 at 2:14 PM I don’t know why they can’t control this flu from entering the states. If they used a quaranteen on people coming in from asian countries for the 10 days or so it would take for this flu to show up in people, it could be caught and nipped in the bud. We in the states should not have to pay for the dirty way in which people in other countries handle their food and start epidemics in their own lands and do not feel guilty about spreading it to other lands. So tell me what way you think it could be stopped from entering this country on a wide scale?
Posted by Pat Grzybowski on Mar 6, 2005 at 8:31 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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