Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

SARS - situation in Hong Kong

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • SARS - situation in Hong Kong

    This question is especially for those users from Hong Kong.

    I know about the situation of Cathay and Singapore airlines.
    I'd like to know about the situation in Hong Kong. Could anybody from Hong Kong please tell us what's beeing done in Hong Kong to prevent further infections.
    How is your daily life affected by all this?
    Are many people scared?
    Andy

  • #2
    First of all, WHO has advised people to stay away from Hong Kong until this thing blows clear. So there is very little question of people coming into HK. Secondly, many countries have made a rule, that any passenger from Hong Kong, irrespective of whether he shows the symptoms of SARS or not, will be put in quarantine for 7 days (thats the time the virus takes to show itself).

    The spread of the virus seems to have a pattern. It has been locally clustered in one or two areas. One of them was a hospital, the other, a big housing estate. The residents of the housing estate have been quarantined at government holiday camps. The staff of the hospital who were affected have been quarantined at a ward in the hospital.

    To prevent the infection, some people are wearing masks. The HK govt. has issued an advisory, asking people to stay away from closed, crowded areas, and to regularly wash their hands, and not bring their hands into contact with their eyes, nose mouth, or ears until thoroughly washed. They have also asked us to contact a doctor at the slightest symptoms of SARS.

    The symptoms of SARS are generally flu like; a cold, cough, headache, fever, etc...

    All schools have been closed till the 22nd of April. But work still goes on via the internet.

    SARS has created some kind of hysteria, only because it is an entirely new virus, and nobody knows much about it. The doctors have recently identified the virus, and say that this identification will help them in its treatment. I don't think too many people are scared, because the disease is not necessarily fatal. It is fatal only if the affected person is simultaneously suffering from someother disease, which may have lowered his immunity. Basically, you are the safest in your own home.

    There was an interesting incident that happened on April 1. A message started spreading throughout the whole of Hong Kong, that HK will be declared an infected port, and hence no supplies will be able to reach HK. As a result, there was panic shopping. The supermarkets were absolutely packed to capacity with people. This was one of the worst things that could have happened, because with so many people at the supermarkets, the potential for the spread of SARS greatly increased. Anyway, since this was only 3 days back, we will have to wait for another 4 days to see if there will be a sudden rise in the cases of sARS again. Why I say again, is because SARS cases are going down day by day, and fatalities are greatly reduced. Now, this "infected port" thing was found out to be a hoax. It was perpetrated by a 14 year old boy, who made a web page identical to that of a local newspaper's, and published this information on it.

    He was arrested, but was then released on $1000 bail, and was let free with no charges pressed on him, because apparently in HK, there is no law preventing people from spreading false info. Thats really weird.

    Some Stats: 700 infected in HK. 17 dead. 100 people infected in the housing estate, 75 people infected in the Price of wales hospital (50 of them medical staff). Spread from China. China is keeping its figures hidden, and is not revealing any stats about this disease.

    I just hope it blows away really fast. (there was another rumour that the virus, when in the atmosphere, is killed if the temperature exceeds 28 degrees celsius. One hot day in HK, and the virus is fried for ever. )
    "The Director also sets the record straight on what would happen if oxygen masks were to drop from the ceiling: The passengers freak out with abandon, instead of continuing to chat amiably, as though lunch were being served, like they do on those in-flight safety videos."

    -- The LA Times, in a review of 'Flightplan'

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the interesting report from HK. Is there any evidence why the virus spread to excessively at Amoy Gardens, and not at other housing estates. It is understandable that it spreads in a hospital, though, as people helping infected patients probably did not care too much about it in early stages.

      I wish for HK that this disease is going to be cleared as soon as possible. And I am at a complete loss of understanding that China, still, continue their old-style communist-behaviour. This is reckless.

      Regards,
      Peter

      Comment


      • #4
        Indian Airlines: Thanks for this report.
        Andy

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks Andy.

          Peter - The virus is believed to have spread at Amoy Gardens, because at a nearby construction site, the workers did not have proper bathroom facilities, hence used to do their duties on whichever floor they were building at the time. Some doctors think that the virus spread from their doings.

          Some doctors are against this theory though, because none of the pets at Amoy Gardens have the virus.

          The figures at Amoy Gardens are now 270 infected, none dead.
          "The Director also sets the record straight on what would happen if oxygen masks were to drop from the ceiling: The passengers freak out with abandon, instead of continuing to chat amiably, as though lunch were being served, like they do on those in-flight safety videos."

          -- The LA Times, in a review of 'Flightplan'

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks, Indian Airlines, that is most interesting. So 270 are infected, out of how many? And those workers, are some of them infected, too?

            Regards,
            Peter

            Comment


            • #7
              We have 3 suspected cases here in NY. Yikes.
              Fly Raleigh-Durham International, with direct flights on Air Canada, AirTran, American Airlines, American Eagle, America West, Continental Airlines, Continental Express, Delta Airlines, Delta Connection, jetBlue, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Express and US Airways to:

              ATL, AUS, BWI, BOS, CHS, CLT, MDW, ORD, CVG, CLE, DFW, DTW, FLL, BDL, HOU, IND, LAS, LAX, LGW, MEM, MIA, MSP, BNA, EWR, MSY, JFK, LGA, ORF, MCO, PHL, PHX, PIT, STL, SLC, TPA, YYZ, DCA and IAD.

              Comment


              • #8
                Yup, meanwhile we also had 7 cases in Switzerland, but they are all now on their way up, some have already left the hospital.

                Regards,
                Peter

                Comment


                • #9
                  My report.

                  As Tanuj's (indian airlines) classmate, school has been cancelled until after the easter holidays. That's an unbelievably long time and we are getting homework emailed to us. Most of which I have yet to start . Well, my mum strongly encourages me to wear a face mask, i refuse. Those things smell horrible and as long as I take necessary precautions such as frequently washing my hands and keeping my distance from coughers and sneezers. I still walk in the city streets and ride the underground. To me, my life has not stopped due to this virus. Unfortunately, for some classmates it has. They HAVE to stay indoors all day. boo hoo.

                  Well, actually Tanuj the cause of the illness was when a man came back from either Tibet or South/Southwestern China to the Prince of Wales Hospital with some misterious illness some time in mid-March. The virus spread around the hospital and was soon found to be a type of pneumonia. From then on the nurses and doctors caught it thus spreading it to others etc etc etc....

                  I continue to keep up-to-date on this via TV and Newspaper. Naturally, CNN know nothing about SARS seeing that all they are focusing on is Iraq . Well I continue to hang out with my friends, live the same life. To me, it's like a very long weekend. I went to the rugby sevens, I went out today. I am not concerned. I view a lot of it as paranoia. You know, there are some who wear face masks while driving alone in their cars! My goodness, as if the steering wheel will cough and give you SARS!
                  Well, most people who have caught it have survived albeit their immune system is very weak immediately following. Those who die from it are generally of poorer health. They are the very old, those with serious kidney, heart, lung, liver, and blood problems.

                  Actually, I'm more concerned about the poorer people in third-world countries who have no access to proper treatment and could easily pass the virus on to others due to the lack of knowledge and medical treatment they have which we in the more developed regions of the world have easy access to. It's a harsh world and it really saddens me.

                  Well, there's not much more I can say. Most of it's probably reiterating what Tanuj has said.

                  Richard

                  Oh boy, nearing my 300th post!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thanks Richard.

                    Obviously many people are scared by SARS. AS it seems right now Hong Kong won't suffer for a long time. I'm really concenerd about poorer countries in South East Asia and the southern regions of China.
                    What's the weather like in Hong Kong? When will you get the temperatures you need?
                    Andy

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Temperatures are staying between 22-27 degrees celcius. Somedays its pretty winds and foggy.
                      "The Director also sets the record straight on what would happen if oxygen masks were to drop from the ceiling: The passengers freak out with abandon, instead of continuing to chat amiably, as though lunch were being served, like they do on those in-flight safety videos."

                      -- The LA Times, in a review of 'Flightplan'

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Today, we're having pretty British weather if you know what I mean. Temp is what Tanuj said.



                        Enjoying your view up at Parkview Tanuj? Aint that fog pretty!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Yup. Its like a walk in the clouds.
                          "The Director also sets the record straight on what would happen if oxygen masks were to drop from the ceiling: The passengers freak out with abandon, instead of continuing to chat amiably, as though lunch were being served, like they do on those in-flight safety videos."

                          -- The LA Times, in a review of 'Flightplan'

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X