3 wk. ago • 98%

Here we go again rule...

Yes, this is real.

Image source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20241205_08/

29 comments

I've seen an expert say that due to the pattern of the spread it's unlikely that it is a newly mutated illness, and more likely that it is something we already know but is untypical for this region so they havent identified it yet

87
- I certainly hope so.
  
  Hey, God? It’s me, Aeron. Please wait until the current pandemic has come to a complete stop before starting another one.
  
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Jesus. All sources state that the majority of the deaths were people 16-18 years of age. This is extremely lethal with a 21%-60% fatality rate, even if the numbers are all over the place. Covid has about a 3% fatality rate, for comparison.

NY Post has the death toll at 179 with 300 infected.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/04/us-news/a-mystery-disease-has-killed-179-mostly-teenagers-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo/

Reuters splits the difference with 143 dead.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/unknown-disease-kills-143-southwest-congo-local-authorities-say-2024-12-03/

77
- I wouldn't really take anything down as fact at the moment. The region is a healthcare desert that has a pretty bad history of malnourishment, so even if what the reports say is true, it's not something that would be applicable to other parts of the world.
  
  From the couple articles that I've read about, there's a lot of stuff being reported that's probably not coming from a reliable source.
  
  Most are saying it's some kind of flu-like symptoms, and the disease is unknown, but the WHO director in the area has said they won't have any more information for the next 48 hours because they haven't been able to test yet.
  
  There's also reports of deaths from pulmonary complications, but also reports of deaths from lack of blood transfusions..... Not sure why someone would require a blood transfusion for flu-like symptoms, so my guess is there's not a lot of reliable reporting coming out ATM.
  
  36
  
  I mean the DRC has a huge population of child slaves that mine cobalt. Bad living conditions and inadequate healthcare are the perfect storm to spread disease
  
  21
- Your reuters link says 2024-12-03 and nyt link says, 2024-12-04 which explains why nyt has a higher number.
  
  edit: nypost not nyt
  
  20
  
  Yes, the infection rate is reported as climbing, but the number of fatalities varies greatly.
  
  300/179 in the NY Post vs 376/79 in the posted article
  
  8
- That mortality rate would limit its spread, wouldn't it?
  
  15
  
  Yes, it would. Covid got around because of its long dormant period and high transmissibility. It's only gotten less lethal over time as it's mutated. Turns out killing your host is a poor reproductive strategy.
  
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I read it as Dr. Congo first

30
As a note, everything has flu like symptoms which are all symptoms of the human body detecting an infection and the immunoresponse trying a battery of general remedies.

The lung and nose stuff can indicate a coronavirus or other airborne infection, but also can indicate an allergy or other trigger of the anti-dust immune systems.

Also influenza- and cold-viruses commonly have atypical symptoms (spikey fever, tinnitus, tea tastes funny, midnight insomnia, etc.) In San Francisco we'd often have multiple bugs being passed around, and signature symptoms would help indicate what you got.

24
- Yes and no? H5N1 at least in the US has been showing up as conjunctivitis in humans, which is a hell of a lot better than typical upper respiratory symptoms…
  
  4
Alright, who fucked what?

20
- I wonder if pangolin are native to the Congo area.
  
  8
  
  They're getting revenge for all of the poaching.
  
  4
Taking bets on whether Trumpo learned anything during his last pandemic

20
- What he learned is that he has to outlaw testing for the disease from the start if he doesn't want any reports showing how many people are dying from it.
  
  23
- He made RFK the Secretary of Health.
  
  19
- Didn't he promise to re-dissolve the infectious disease working group (or whatever it was called), like he did before covid.
  
  9
Does this mean go out and buy toilet paper?

17
- It should be part of your emergency supplies, at this point. Just keep an extra slab somewhere and rotate stock. It doesn't go bad.
  
  5
- It's fine, I still have hundreds of packs left from last time.
  
  4
Why contain it? S'cool.

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Permanently Deleted

4
- I think that’s mostly the poison talking
  
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  Permanently Deleted
  
  1
its okay, set it free.

2
"Here we go again" makes sense by itself, no need to add "rule" like a parrot.

-1
- It's just the rule
  
  5
So probably the CIA or NATO spread a bioweapon to throw the region into more chaos.

We need to shut down and audit every one of our biolabs, and start handing out life sentences to the doctors and agents involved.

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