The consensus for why the Spanish flu was so bad is evolution ordinarily favouring less deadly mutations of a virus.

In ordinary circumstances, people who are most ill are stationary, while those with more mild symptoms remain mobile. Survival of the fittest.

Trench warfare in WW1 flipped that around, those with mild symptoms stayed in the trenches, while the most ill with the most virulent stains were transported far away from the front.

That combined with widespread malnutrition and the practice of treating it with very high doses of aspirin created a very high mortality rate.

Those ^^^ factors would have contributed to the high death rate, Stark.
But i think the consensus these days, since genetic science has been developed, is that it was because a 'traditional' strain of influenza mixed with an avian strain, and the mix was a killer.

"Genetic material from bird flu virus picked up just before 1918 was studied.
They found that a human H1 virus that had been circulating among humans since around 1900 picked up genetic material from a bird flu virus just before 1918 and this became the deadly pandemic strain."
The accepted science nowadays, apparently.

This is the same syndrome that makes medical science so jumpy about the increasing number of new flu's today.
Modern living, with our high population plus industrial livestock production, is perfect for new virus creation.
Mass international travel, the perfect hyper-charged vector for spreading.

Personally, i don't give a flying flock how much they overreact to this years flu model - it is all excellent preparation for the Big One when it comes.
I believe the scientists who say this is very possible, increasingly possible - at any time.
I also believe that medical science and prompt Gov action will at least be able to limit its damage.
- advances in virus treatments, and in government's responses, are improving rapidly for this very kind of scenario.

Still, sorry to be a wet sneezy blanket, Cambodia will never be the best place to be when it breaks.
gulp

Cambodia is a better place to be than cold wet northern countries where stressed immune systems fight with common colds and flues for several months a year.
In the end it will be up to each person’s immune system to fight it off. I’d rather be in the sun ultraviolet rays than covering in scarf under wet snow.

hunter8 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 4:57 pm Cambodia is a better place to be than cold wet northern countries where stressed immune systems fight with common colds and flues for several months a year.
In the end it will be up to each person’s immune system to fight it off. I’d rather be in the sun ultraviolet rays than covering in scarf under wet snow.

True, until you get a pneumonia.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:05 pm

hunter8 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 4:57 pm Cambodia is a better place to be than cold wet northern countries where stressed immune systems fight with common colds and flues for several months a year.
In the end it will be up to each person’s immune system to fight it off. I’d rather be in the sun ultraviolet rays than covering in scarf under wet snow.

True, until you get a pneumonia.

You believe Western countries will have enough beds and equipment for everyone? Think again.

hunter8 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:08 pm

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:05 pm

hunter8 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 4:57 pm Cambodia is a better place to be than cold wet northern countries where stressed immune systems fight with common colds and flues for several months a year.
In the end it will be up to each person’s immune system to fight it off. I’d rather be in the sun ultraviolet rays than covering in scarf under wet snow.

True, until you get a pneumonia.

You believe Western countries will have enough beds and equipment for everyone? Think again.

For "common colds and flues"? Yes.

Common colds and flues are best treated by bathing in the sun, don’t need beds for those.

And you think Cambodia would be in any way equipped for a pandemic?

A Khmer friend who's family is pretty connected told me there are several cases at Russian Hospital, and that they're kept with the general public. I'm not sure how much truth there is to that, as she's pretty obsessed with this whole virus affair.

Either way, I'm not too worried. Just the newest story that the 24/7 media has taken a hold of because it sells, and they'll hold on until there's something else juicier out there.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 7:04 pm And you think Cambodia would be in any way equipped for a pandemic?

Either way, I'm not too worried. Just the newest story that the 24/7 media has taken a hold of because it sells, and they'll hold on until there's something else juicier out there.

I wish i was as blithe as that about the current situation.
I'm not calling disaster, at all, but this is not flash-in-the-pan tabloid stuff.

If/when a more serious one comes along, we could be stuck here because travel was banned to West, or anywhere. Very possible.
This country has less chance than most of introducing effective control measures.
Less chance of having trained effective medical staff and care available.
- and testing, and knowledge, and treatments. And reliable information available.
Public hygiene infrastructure and practices are, ha hmm, "not exactly first world standard".

High chance that some fool official or decree will kill you by idiocy.
Not many of us are going to be adaptable to a remote, self quarantined, hide out. Or able to access one - for months on end.

I'm not recommending moving to dank London or New York, there are sensible options at the first hint of a deadly pandemic.
And you won't want to be too blithe about it, i reckon anyway.

this virus has only just jumped to humans, so it is what it is
in any case evolution doesn't care if the host dies, just that the virus spreads
a long, infectious, incubation period will do nicely

so far it's been reasonably confined to huabei province, so the absolute numbers can't reasonably be compared to global 'flu deaths

can we see some evidence for sun-cured flu please?

perhaps everyone could do some fact-checking or at least basic critical thinking before posting drivel