Bird Flu cancels 1919 Cup

[#96 0]

This is a really a strange topic to be discussing, but it does kinda involve hockey.

Has anyone heard about the Asian Bird Flu pandemic that is supposed to kill 150 million people worldwide? It starts as a bird disease, but the virus mutates and can then affect humans. Basically, very flu-like symptoms, but stronger, more intense. People die when their lungs fill with liquid and blood and basically you wind up choking on your own body fluids. It has been said that a perfectly healthy person can go to work in the morning, get infected, and be dead by evening. That's how strong this virus was in 1918. So far it hasn't killed many humans, about 60 something. But of 120 known infected, 60 or so have died, giving this flu a death rate of 50%..which is very scary. It also effects younger, healthier people, not older or really young people. Don't know why exactly. Further, there is no known vaccine for it. Pharmaceutical companies are afraid to develop new drugs because they are affraid by the time they invest millions of dollars into research and development, the virus can mutate and the vaccine becomes useless.

This is all quite scary. If you read the newspaper headlines, it's out there, and governments know it's coming. They are trying to force pharmaceutical companies to do research, and are also throwing billions of dollars at them in order to help fight off the global pandemic that is coming.

Ok, so here's the history/hockey part. In 1918, this flu started at the end of World War 1. It killed roughly 20 million people, but some estimates are much higher, like in the 50 million range. Whole towns in remote regions were wiped out. There were very few places in the world that was not touched in some way by this flu. Supposedly, WW1 ended when it did because so many soldiers were sick or dying by 1918 they couldn't put new healthy bodies in the field. The virus was around a few times in the past century, 1918, 50's and 60's. The outbreaks in the 50s and 60s didn't kill too many people. It is suggested that many people and their 1st generation children had developed immunities to this virus. However, the latest round of this virus hasn't been around in awhile so doctors suspect not many people have immunities this time.

If you look back, the Stanley Cup playoff was cancelled in 1919 because of it. Too many players and refs were getting sick, and some of them died. Below is a clipping on the subject...

1919 flu epidemic: Stanley Cup not awarded

During the 1918-19 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans, several Canadiens players contracted Spanish influenza, part of a worldwide epidemic. The finals were cancelled after five games. The final game was never played, because Montreal players Joe Hall, Manager Kennedy, Billy Coutu, Jack McDonald and Edouard Lalonde were hospitalized with influenza. Joe Hall died four days after the cancelled game, and the series was abandoned, remaining tied at 2-2-1. At that time, it was the only year for which the Stanley Cup was not awarded until the labour stoppage of 2004-2005.

Serious stuff guys. Doctors say it's only a matter of time before this virus starts infecting humans...and the pandemic starts. I hate to be so morbid, and I wish I was making it up, but this sh*t is real!

[Chadd 916]

This is possibly the most overhyped non-story I've seen in a long time.

[nspeen 0]

yeah i heard about this a couple months ago. im hoping that it wont fully mutate and get over here :(

[#96 0]

I wish I could agree with you Chadd. I really do. But take a look at all the news sites...you'll find something about it. It's only hype now because the virus hasn't jumped directly to humans yet. So far, only birds get it, and people that handle the birds get it from them. Once the virus mutates, and people can cross-infect each other...it won't be hype anymore.

Seriously though, many governments are putting billion dollar plans into effect for this "Over hyped non-story". Microsoft is doing a "Mock Flu Drill" soon to see what happens when larger portions of the workforce cant'/don't go to work. This stuff costs money. Do you really think governments and companies would just throw billions of dollars at something like that? Not to mention...you hear a story once, well ok. A couple more times, hmm, probably not that big a deal. But when you hear it over and over again, you gotta imagine something is up, no?

I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm just paranoid. But I don't think I'd tell the 20 million or so people that died in 1918 that this was all hype.

[Smith 0]

I thought we where all going to get sars (or whatever it was a couple of years ago) I would not put much thought into it, the reason the goverment is spending money is because the can. Somebody most owe someone a favor.

[#96 0]

Like I said, I hope so. The whole thing just caught my attention because of the Stanley Cup story I mentioned.

Smith...is that the chick from Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel? She can give me Bird Flu anytime...LOVE HER.

[Smith 0]

Like I said, I hope so. The whole thing just caught my attention because of the Stanley Cup story I mentioned.

Smith...is that the chick from Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel? She can give me Bird Flu anytime...LOVE HER.

Got that right, got a thing for the redheads. Next week the will tell you the your e-mail will give you cancer, if someone finds a way to make money off of it

[Chadd 916]

Like I said, I hope so. The whole thing just caught my attention because of the Stanley Cup story I mentioned.

Smith...is that the chick from Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel? She can give me Bird Flu anytime...LOVE HER.

Got that right, got a thing for the redheads. Next week the will tell you the your e-mail will give you cancer, if someone finds a way to make money off of it

mmmm redheads, cute one at Quiznos tonight.

yes, a lot of people have died in the past from various epidemics and in low-income or densely populated areas without adequate health care, there is the chance for them right now. The reality is that the vast majority of us are more likely to die from a lightning strike than any of the various scenarios that the media concocts. You are no more at risk this year than you were last year from the bird flu, you're just aware that there is some small potential of an outbreak.

[msander 0]

You have to keep in mind that the quality of healthcare available will play a huge role in how major an "outbreak" would really be. Just as an example, in North America diarhea is considered to be an unfortunate side effect of the flu or a meal that didn't agree with you. In lesser parts of the world, diarhea secondary to bacterial infection kills millions of children every year due to dehydration. In north america it's simple antibiotics and oral rehydration therapy (fancy term for sugar water) but in underdeveloped areas it's an epidemic killing millions. Keep this in mind when you hear about all the new big threats to public health.

[warrior37 0]

ive been shooting ducks and geese and they taste fine to me

[Chadd 916]

And there was an outbreak of H5N1 in PA on at least one poultry farm a long time ago and there have been no problem since then.

[Vapor 0]

its all bull, just the media trying to invoke fear (purposly or not). The virus isnt even able to go human to human yet, so unless you enjoy taking long walks on the range with turkeys, cockatoos, or bald eagles, I think we all have a fighting chance.

[Hockeyman9621 0]

It's just the media scaring people. My sister is a nurse and she said all the Doctors were making jokes about it and stuff. Nothing to worry about.