LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness: SARS - A Worldwide Health Threat? |
by Rick Moore |
A serious health issue is in the news lately. Did you hear about the killer pneumonia virus that just seemed to come out of nowhere? It's kind of scary. It seems that this mystery bug came out of China back in November 2002, give or take. We now have the Centers for Disease Control seriously looking into identifying this nasty little virus, which is sickening people around the world. Did you ever see the movie Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman? Well, it's a little like that. But first let's get some background info before we jump the gun and panic. This germ started in southern China where hundreds were reported to be sickened from it. But because the government of China is so secretive and unwilling to share information with the outside world, they just suppressed the news of the nasty little virus until this past week, when they finally released the information. From China, it seems that the virus had spread to Vietnam, where an American businessman somehow contracted the virus. Despite trying to treat the 49-year-old man in hospitals in Hanoi and then in Hong Kong, the poor guy died. To make matters worse, some of the hospital staff also became sick, and one of them, a nurse, died. Within a period of 72 hours, cases were reported in Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Germany, and here in the United States. In the U.S., we have reports of 22 people falling ill. It's been reported in California and New York. Just think, if only China had let the CDC or World Health Organization know what was going on way before this got out of hand, proper containment measures could have been taken. Maybe we wouldn't be in this difficult situationand what a situation it is. Because the virus spreads quickly through the respiratory system, the nasty bug has been named SARS, which stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficult breathing. Many researchers define it as a "mystery flu." But the flu itself was never like this. Overseas researchers identified a possible suspect. They thought it may be a member of the paramyxovirus family, a virus which causes a wide variety of diseases in animals and humans. It is related to the measles, mumps and canine distemper. But recently, that possibility has been changed. Many now think the coronavirus may be the sole cause of the outbreak. The coronavirus was identified in the tissues of some patients. This particular virus is the cause of the ordinary common cold. While some countries have issued quarantines on businesses, hospitals, and its citizens, the bug has still not been contained. I really hope that they find out exactly which virus is responsible for the deadly pneumonia. Because of the fear of catching the virus in Hong Kong, some hotels have reported as many as 80% of their bookings have been postponed or cancelled. And that many of the regions airlines are canceling flights as well. It seems this thing is beginning to snowball. Because similar events are also happening in Vietnam, Singapore, and even mainland China, we'd better work quickly on this one before it really gets out of hand. The World Health Organization has issued a rare worldwide alert, and the CDC handed out warning cards to passengers who had been flying from the Far East. They felt that people needed to be aware of the situation in an attempt to avoid an outbreak. Everyone is acutely aware that in 1918, a huge influenza outbreak took the lives of more than 20 million people. They're trying to avoid a repeat of that disaster. Since this virus seems to have originated in a colder climate, they hope that the coming of spring and warmer temperatures will naturally help slow down the spread. There is no specific treatment yet, other than to manage the symptoms. Scientists are still busy checking their data and trying different antiviral drugs to see if anything can fight this new virus strain. While you can't guarantee that you won't get sick, you can take some basic, common-sense precautions that can protect you against many different diseases. Make sure you wash your hands frequently, especially when traveling, visiting hospitals, or contacting any surfaces that may have been handled by others. Try to avoid being around anyone with symptoms of a cold or flu. Cover a sneeze and wash your hands to prevent passing it along. Dealing with Stress If you picked up a copy of last month's Letters, you might have read about the stress we are all going through in these tough times. And since that article, we've now engaged in war with the country of Iraq. So how's the war going? Are you unable to turn away from the TV set? Do those blurry images of the desert and oil wells keep you mesmerized? Do you seem more hostile, yelling at the opposition and the politicians who appear everyday for their news conferences? Well, I have to admit it. I watched the news coverage for nearly five days straight. But after that, I gave up on being notified 24/7. I turned it off, and now I only listen to a bit at the end of the night. My interest level has really come down. I really support the troops over there, but I don't support Mr. Bush's war. So I've relegated myself to getting back to living like a normal person again. Hopefully, you can all do the same. Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by the American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit him at www.ricksfitness.net, or call 302-684-0316. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 13, No.3, April 4, 2003. |