Re: disease

From: Shawn (sdotherecurry_at_bresnananotherdotnet)
Date: 12/29/04 

Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 09:34:31 -0700

MT wrote:
> The spectre of a world pandemic developing after the death and destruction
> in Asia
> is very real.
>
>
Right. Name a modern disaster where it happened. The suffering
associated with the aftermath of such events, cholera, hepatitis,
typhoid, starvation, dysentery, are local phenomena associated with poor
sanitation and crowded areas, lack of food and (clean) water, and
overall population stress. These diseases are easily treated outside
the disaster area. Sure some moderate flu may have been circulating in
the population before the tsunami, and it could kill lots of stressed
individuals. You and I would just feel like crap for a couple weeks.
Also, despite an influx of aid workers, travel into and out of the areas
will be much lower because of the non-existent tourist trade, so the
ability for local diseases to spread to the rest of the world will
decrease.
I just don't buy the argument.
It sucks to be them, but I just don't believe it's much of a health
threat to the rest of the world.

Shawn