SARS-COV-1

 

Out of China a new strain of Coronavirus breaks and killing people indescriminately. It spread across the globe reaching down to Australia and over to the Americas. Sound familiar? It should. This was 2002, the SARS outbreak. The mortality rate was thankfully small in comparison to the massive loss of lives covid19 has caused but it should have been a warning as that strain directly relates to this current strain.

I remember this well but did not know it was related. It broke late 2002 and into 2003. I am sure its just coincidence but 2003 was when I became really unwell with what doctors called a "mystery virus". And I was not alone. My first daughter was born in June 2003. Some time between March and June I got very ill as I said and was continually back and forward to the GPS. At this time our midwife told us his friend had experienced the same thing. At the time in the media I noticed a splattering of similar cases with 2 involving footballers. Was there a link? My breathing in particular was badly affected and that was the main symptom of SARS. Might just be coincidence though.

In 2003 I remember the anger though in my work. There was a guy who was a bit of a maverick and a bit full of himself. No one knew what he did really. I worked on site for a company who provided IT to the main workplace. He seemed to work for neither but both. I remember though the big smile and the tan. The official line from WHO was to avoid travelling to Asia if possible and this ravaged the Asian tourist trade. One of the countries on the list was Thailand. This guy who did not even use his real name but instead referred to himself as "Bud" had against all advice gone to Bangkok anyway. He didn't care. There he was was his salesman smarm and tan letting everyone know he'd had a great time. But there was anger that he had been so selfish. No illness followed though so it was forgotten.

We worked in Portakabins. Given what we know now about how Coronavirus loves the indoors we were lucky. A Portakabins though us doubly was as there is no ventilation. Just coincidence though likely. But it makes me think further. Officially there were cases all over but only Canada reported deaths outside of Asia. Only 4 cases were recorded on the UK with no fatalities but it shows it was here. And it would most likely have come on an aeroplane so why were others not infected? Maybe they showed no symptoms. We only have large numbers now because of nationwide testing. There was none back then. How many went under the radar as mystery illnesses?

It might sound farfetched but there is no patient zero then or now so how do we know when infection started really and where it went first. Could we have had covid cases here before we knew it? The Nike conference incident would suggest so. How many more of them are there now? And how many 18 years ago when it wasn't scrutinised? Again it may just be coincidence.