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sl8

(13,584 posts)
Sat Jan 18, 2020, 08:17 AM Jan 2020

New Chinese virus 'will have infected hundreds'

Source: BBC


By James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent
3 hours ago

The number of people already infected by the mystery virus emerging in China is far greater than official figures suggest, scientists have told the BBC.

There have been nearly 50 confirmed cases of the new virus, but UK experts estimate the figure is closer to 1,700.

Two people are known to have died from the respiratory illness, which appeared in Wuhan city in December.

"I am substantially more concerned than I was a week ago," disease outbreak scientist, Prof Neil Ferguson, said.


Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51148303

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New Chinese virus 'will have infected hundreds' (Original Post) sl8 Jan 2020 OP
Mother Nature ain't going down without a fight bucolic_frolic Jan 2020 #1
Mother nature isn't going down. The human species is going down. defacto7 Jan 2020 #2
this, exactly. WE are the infection. NRaleighLiberal Jan 2020 #3
Yep, we don't give back after borrowing what's necessary. defacto7 Jan 2020 #4
More like locusts.... paleotn Jan 2020 #5
The earth is alive California_Republic Jan 2020 #6
When we disappear, the earth will say... Yavin4 Jan 2020 #9
What is going on in China????? Farmer-Rick Jan 2020 #7
several factors..... Takket Jan 2020 #8
Lax regulations Yavin4 Jan 2020 #10
Humans and pigs are very close immunologically NickB79 Jan 2020 #11
Yes, they even had a strategic pork reserve. Farmer-Rick Jan 2020 #12

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
2. Mother nature isn't going down. The human species is going down.
Sat Jan 18, 2020, 09:18 AM
Jan 2020

Once the earth has brushed us off it will heal and continue as if we never existed. Our entire existance on this planet is just a passing itch.

But that doesn't match up with your analogy. Hell yeah, Democrats aren't going down without a blistering fight, not this one anyway.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
4. Yep, we don't give back after borrowing what's necessary.
Sat Jan 18, 2020, 09:32 AM
Jan 2020

We feed on our host until the host dies or we do, the definition of a virus. In this scheme we are like a summer cold to the planet. We will pass. Pushing the narative, I bet the earth builds an immunity to the likes of our kind once we're gone. What a wonderful system mother earth is.

paleotn

(17,781 posts)
5. More like locusts....
Sat Jan 18, 2020, 12:00 PM
Jan 2020

but even they are a naturally occurring phenomenon and important in certain ecosystems. Evolution produces some "woopsies" every now and then and we're simply the latest in a long line. Those novel mutations we collectively call intelligence got a bit out of control. For all our perceived "power", it's human arrogance to think we can extinguish life on this planet. Only astronomical forces can and only the most extreme ones at that. Life is far more tenacious and vastly more ancient than we can even imagine with our puny brains.

California_Republic

(1,826 posts)
6. The earth is alive
Sat Jan 18, 2020, 12:34 PM
Jan 2020

The earth is alive

Saw this show that said the earth behaves very much like a living organism. And yes it has an infection now and a fever.

Farmer-Rick

(10,072 posts)
7. What is going on in China?????
Sat Jan 18, 2020, 09:44 PM
Jan 2020

Ok so China was at the center of the bird flu. In 2019, most of the pig population of China died due to the African Swine flu. And now this disease.

I wonder why they seem to be at the center of new diseases?

Takket

(21,425 posts)
8. several factors.....
Sun Jan 19, 2020, 12:21 AM
Jan 2020

extreme population density hastens viruses spreading, rampant air pollution in the cities weakening immune systems to start, lots of close contact with animals coupled with healthy and food safety standards being much less, exotic diets...

Yavin4

(35,357 posts)
10. Lax regulations
Sun Jan 19, 2020, 12:55 AM
Jan 2020

China is learning the lessons that the West learned in its early days of capitalism. As you grow, you must have strong regulations otherwise the population becomes vulnerable to disease.

NickB79

(19,114 posts)
11. Humans and pigs are very close immunologically
Sun Jan 19, 2020, 09:43 AM
Jan 2020

Many viruses that can replicate in pigs can also replicate in humans. And China had the world's largest hog herds.

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