I'm Gonna Die: SARS Knock Knocking at my door

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Forum

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ A rush of callers worried about exposure to Oklahoma's first suspected case of SARS temporarily jammed a health department hotline, an official said Wednesday.

Calls poured into the Tulsa City-County Health Department immediately after Tuesday's announcement that a Tulsa County man had symptoms of the flu-like illness, said Christy Edmonds, manager of planning and epidemiology.

Some callers insisted they'd come in contact with the ailing man. Others had allergies but worried it could be severe acute respiratory syndrome, she said. Others wanted to know if it was safe to go to Wal-Mart.

``We have had people say, `I was in contact with him on Friday,' and that's not even possible,'' Edmonds said.

The global death toll from the highly contagious respiratory disease was at least 375 on Wednesday. More than 5,400 cases have been reported in about 20 countries.

The Tulsa County man, who was not identified, was isolated at home in good condition and appeared to be on the mend, she said. He had contact with fewer than six people, mostly in his family, since developing symptoms Saturday after a trip that took him through Hong Kong's airport.

Health officials had urged Tulsa County residents not to panic.

After the initial deluge that locked up phone lines immediately after Tuesday's news conference, the department's hotline received about two dozen calls an hour, Edmonds said.

Most callers just wanted information about whether the disease was contained. Many calls came from physicians and school officials requesting information, she said.

Some people just wanted assurances that they did not have symptoms of the disease.

``We go back to case definition,'' Edmonds said, noting criteria that includes traveling in an affected area abroad, having a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher and a dry _ not productive _ cough.

``What we're finding out is that people think SARS is a death sentence, and it's not,'' Edmonds said. ``In many ways it's like any other flu.''

If the man has SARS, it's a mild case, she said. He still must spend 10 days in isolation even after he no longer has a fever, she said.

``He's doing extremely well. He probably does just have the flu,'' Edmonds said, ``but again he meets case definition.''

The man had worn a protective mask from the point he started his travels in the Philippines and during his layover in Hong Kong, she said. He took the mask off only twice during his flights to eat.

The World Health Organization has warned against nonessential travel to Hong Kong, Beijing and two provinces in China. A similar warning for Toronto was lifted Tuesday.



This sucks - I live in East side Tulsa and was at Wal-Mart at NIGHT!?

NOW PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO FREAK OUT IN THIS TOWN.

Another possible case of SARS is reported in Tulsa County. Health officials say it's a much less likely case than the first one reported Tuesday.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says the Tulsa City-County Health Department is tracking these possible cases. This new - possible case is a woman just back from China, who developed a slight fever. As a precaution - she's being monitored to see if she develops other symptoms - but at this point, health officials say while it's possible - it's very unlikely she has SARS.

Brenda Dale RN, Tulsa City-County Health Department, "On the other guy, he had all the high risk symptoms for SARS, this lady does not have all the symptoms, like the dry cough."

The woman developed the fever Wednesday and was treated at a local hospital. She was around 2 other people who will now be monitored as well. She is not as sick as the man who has a possible case - who has flu, and a still unconfirmed case of SARS - but he's getting better, and does not have a fever.

Both people are in voluntary isolation, at home - while their monitoring

I have had these symtoms before lasted for about a month. Are they using an inhaler? Drinking double the recommended daily dose of 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water? Lots of natural vitamin C not synthetic? When I get a cold I usually take 500 milligrams of natural vitamin C. And bam there goes the cold, but not for this cold. Get rest. Tell them to just try this.

This whole SARS thing is getting out of hand and the biggest problem is the internet followed closely by the media. I live in Toronto. If anyone should be worried it should be me but I'm not. Why? Because this has been blown out of proportion. There are 5 million people in TO and there have been about 140 cases. All tracable to one woman and all transmitted in a home or hospital setting. All the deaths have been people who contracted it in the early days before it was realized that quick treatment was essential and most were ill or infirm.

The thing that really tees me off is the media's reporting of the issue. Classrooms of children from Ohio being isolated because they visited Toronto. No symptoms, just because they were here. A man near Boston visits Toronto and comes down with a fever and panic ensues. A couple and their child from Australia visit TO and come down with symptom and are quarantined. These stories all make headlines, but NONE of these people actually get SARS. That fact does not make the papers, it is not newsworthy. The only items that get printed are ones that are sensational.

SARS has killed fewer people in TO than common Influenza, but nobody is freaking out about the Flu. Why? Because the Flu is yesterdays news. It sweeps through each year and X number of people die. Sh!t happens!

If the world really wants to do something about pandemics and diseases then we should start by cleaning up our act. Lower population, reduce pollution and generally stop poisoning the Earth. Only then will the threat of extinction of the human race dimminish

I feel the same way - people are freaking out over this and there are worse things out there. You don't see people with HIV and AIDS being quarantined because they like sex - but they run out there and give it to people over and over again just because they don't want to be the only ones infected (i do not include each case).