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EV71 Outbreak In China Sparks Fears For Olympics

Posted by timothy on from the not-funny-at-all dept.

OMNIpotusCOM writes "CNN is reporting an outbreak of Enterovirus 71 (or EV71), that has affected more than 3700 children and killed over 20, is creating concern for the visitors and athletes expected for the Beijing Olympics in August. The virus can cause 'poliolike paralysis,' according to the article."

5 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. What could go wrong by frovingslosh · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So we'll soon have hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world traveling into a very densely populated area with a deadly virus which has no vaccine available (which hardy matters since the people would be unlikely to get vaccinated) and then all roughly at the same time traveling back across the globe. Add to this China's documented sanitary and even pollution problems. And a government with a history of hiding facts that might impact it financially or even just embarrass it. What could go wrong? Lets just pretend we didn't see this coming and act surprised when the pandemic hits.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  2. John Titor... by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 2, Interesting
    ... was right after all!

    Torino was the last (summer) olympics of human history.

    But this is EV71's merit, not Tibet's merit!

  3. Let's cancel the olympics by boyko.at.netqos · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Let's cancel the olympics.

    No, seriously.

    The Olympics exists for two purposes - to allow athletes to compete against others around the world for sport and to promote the idea of international competition taking the form of athletic events instead of warfare. To promote sport and to promote peace.

    In the case of the former, per-sport international athletics associations can more than supplant the role.

    In the case of the latter, no one can take a look at the bloody history of the 20th and early 21st centuries since the modern olympics were founded and believe that the Olympics has been terribly successful at promoting peace.

    Instead, what ends up is that every two years (now that they're staggered) there's a massive orgy of corruption and controversy; and from time to time we have to put up with someone like China or Nazi Germany hosting - or sometimes the U.S. will boycott Moscow or Moscow will boycott the U.S...

    I think it's time to get rid of the Olympics.

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    I used to work for NetQoS. I no longer do, but want to keep the excellent karma attached to this account.
    1. Re:Let's cancel the olympics by Profane+MuthaFucka · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Hello 1936? The Olympics have always been political. The torch run-around was invented by Hitler after all. He invented the pagentry and ran the flame through countries he tried to take over later.

      The Olympic torch run started out like a dog marking its territory.

      --
      Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
  4. Re:Conspiracy comments in... by Squalish · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Just a little?

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    People in Soviet Russia, however, appear to be afflicted with amusing juxtapositions of the aforementioned situation