Flu again

[Col Quisp]

here from Recombinomics:<br><br>162 Admitted H5N1 Suspect Cases in Northern Iraq<br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr><br>Recombinomics Commentary<br>February 2, 2006<br><br>162 people have been admitted to the diagnosis center on suspicion of contracting the virus<br><br>On January 17, a 15-year-old villager in Rania died of the deadly flu.<br><br>"Two other citizens have died of the infectious virus while two other cases are in intensive care, in addition to four other cases," Mohammed added.<br><br>Al-Hayat reported that a 35-year-old woman identified as Sarya Mirza is being hospitalized in an Erbil hospital on suspicion she has sustained the deadly flu.<br><br>The above descriptions indicate the number of human H5N1 cases in Iraq have increased significantly in recent days, including at least one death in addition to the index case and her uncle. It is unclear if all cases at the diagnostic center have been admitted, but the above descriptions appear to be limited to northern Iraq. However, other media reports described suspect cases in central and southern Iraq.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>Comment: This is sort of the opposite of how the Spanish flu started. It began in Kansas and was spread by soldiers in WWI. Now, it will begin in Asia and be spread TO soldiers who will bring it on home. Of course, there is suddenly a miracle vaccine that we will all have to take. <p></p><i></i>

[marykmusic]

I don't think so.<br><br>It hasn't come anywhere near being spread from human-to-human yet, which is when it becomes a problem. --MaryK <p></p><i></i>

[professorpan]

The important word being "yet."<br><br>This is very worrisome to me. It could be coincidental that H5N1 is now emerging in the theatre of war. I hope that is the case.<br><br>However, if someone wanted to release a lethal virus, with no chance of being detected, the "fog of war" sure provides the ideal circumstance.<br><br>And a massive culling of the Iraqi population would sure serve the Neocon agenda, lending credence to our "need" to stay and help the suffering Iraqis while decimating the insurgency.<br><br>Of course, a flu pandemic in the country we're occupying puts our soldiers at great risk... but you know our kindly overlords would *never* allow anything like that to happen (cough, body armor, cough cough, DU, cough cough, Gulf War Sydrome...)<br><br>I'd better get that cough checked out. <p></p><i></i>

[mxmendo]

Iraq is the perfect opportunity for the virus to mutate into a human-to-human form. As we all know much of the population suffers from poor sanitation, malnutrition, little access to relaible health care, the lack of electrcity, clean water, etc. Governments in places like vietnam and thailand have a far, far better ability to aggressivly contain the disease. This could be bad indeed. <p></p><i></i>