NewsMine — deceptions — plagues — sars — medical — Viewing Item

Super spreader survivor scapegoat { April 23 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-655819,00.html http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-655819,00.html World News April 23, 2003 'Super-spreader' survivor has become scapegoat From Amy Chew in Singapore FOR Esther Mok, surviving the virus is a mixed blessing. The former flight attendant survived only to find that her parents, uncle and pastor had died after catching it from her. She could not attend her parents’ funeral because she was in quarantine. She had to grieve in isolation at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Ms Mok, 26, has been dubbed a “super-spreader” with some 100 infected victims traced back to her. The term has merely made worse her suffering and that of her family. In a text message sent to The Straits Times, her younger brother reportedly said: “Could you tell your paper to stop using my sister’s name and the Health Ministry to stop calling her a super-infector? It could hurt her chances of getting a job later on. Employers and other people would shun her even after she got well.” Even though she has recovered, the authorities are reluctant to let her go, fearing a media frenzy. It was last reported that Ms Mok was living in a modern-day exile in the specialist hospital, which has been designated to treat and isolate Sars cases. Lim Suet Wun, the hospital’s chief executive officer, said: “I cannot say where she is. I feel for her. We should show her great support.” Ms Mok’s misfortunes began in February when she went to Hong Kong and stayed at the Metropole Hotel. A Chinese professor from Guangdong, suffering from Sars, was also a guest. He passed the virus on to her. Dr Lim feels that Ms Mok is being unfairly blamed for spreading the virus. “Perhaps it is part of the grieving process to look for blame and some people fell into this trap,” he said. “When she went to Hong Kong there was no travel advisory against Hong Kong. Did she behave in any way which put people at risk? No. She was just a tourist.”

Death 1 in 7 { April 26 2003 } Death rate 1 in 5 { May 6 2003 } Experimental monkey zero in cause { April 16 2003 } Experts say sars comback winter Infected without becoming ill { May 27 2003 } Links sars common cold { April 17 2003 } Masks not enough { August 4 2003 } Masks not protective Sars can live common surfaces { May 4 2003 } Sars casued coronavirus { April 4 2003 } Sars could be back winter Sars deadlier aids Sars death preventable Sars found in sweat raises handshake fears Sars from mars { May 23 2003 } Sars long lived virus { May 5 2003 } Sars mutating rapidly { April 22 2003 } Sars related common cold { April 18 2003 } Sars travel meat market { April 27 2003 } Scientists find illness { March 22 2003 } Stays live 15 days { June 3 2003 } Super spreader survivor scapegoat { April 23 2003 } Superspreader of sars { May 29 2003 } Top physicians warn congress { May 22 2003 } Who death rate 15 perc { May 8 2003 } Files Listed: 25

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.