| Archive for Our Scotland - www.our-scotland.org Scottish Politics Discussion Forum / Messageboard - Dedicated to online discussion about Scottish Politics and an Independent Scotland, as well as Scottish Society today. We also have a section dedicated to Banter, Sport and Recommended Sites. |
| Dave Coull |
Five Disease Outbreaks That Are Worse Than Swine Fluhttp://blog.foreignpolicy.com/pos...an_amply_protected_from_swine_fluThe news that Afghanistan has quarantined the one and only pig in the entire devoutly Muslim country (it's in Kabul Zoo, and has now been isolated from all contact with humans or other animals) shows that enlightened state is taking public health seriously. However, not everybody is convinced that the AH1N1 virus is the deadliest threat facing the planet. See the list given in the article below. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4910 Personally, I think there are a couple of major ommissions from that list. One omission is normal, everyday, it's-around-every-Winter-and-has-nothing-to-do-with-Mexico-or-pigs, Flu, which kills 35,000 Americans every year, in a normal year. Not sure what the figure for a normal year is here, it's probably proportionately less, on account of the NHS and flu jabs for the elderly and vulnerable. The other omission from the list is Malaria. For comparison, see the pie-chart of "People Killed This Month" at http://www.cocadaboa.com/mrmanson...iew/1232/people-killed-this-month |
||
| Holebender |
Malaria is a horrific killer, but only poor countries have it so it's largely ignored. | ||
| Lord Pitsligo |
Bill Gates want to eradicate it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7735858.stm |
||
| Holebender |
He's not the only one. The statistics are mind-blowing when you look at the annual death toll from one wee parasite. | ||
| jamesieboy |
Surely if they could put a man on the moon 40 years ago then they could have, by now, eradicated malaria?
As a layman on medical matters I can only wonder why they haven't concentrated focusing on the mosquito's natural predators (other insects and birds) to try and get rid of it. Or maybe they've already done this. |
||
| magister ludi |
when there is an outbreak of midge 'flu then i'm going to be seriously worried | ||
| Lord Pitsligo |
Not if its the midges getting it 
|
||
| Morph |
Its the advent of 24 hour media. Seems like theres a new global threat every day just so BBC news 24 or Sky news have something to put on the 4 A.M bulletin. | ||
| Lord Pitsligo |
Although to be fair, swine flu has been in the news for a while now. |
||
| Morph |
I agree, however it was over reported in my opinion leading to people panicking and contacting GP's when it was not needed. | ||