Remote virus-hit island seeks aid

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Many of the 271 British citizens living on the volcanic island of Tristan da Cunha, in the south Atlantic, have developed severe breathing problems.
...
Tristan da Cunha's one resident doctor, a South African, has issued an appeal for medical supplies.
...
The volcanic island has no airstrip, making getting medicines there difficult.

However, merchant ships in the area are unlikely to have the necessary drugs on board and a coastguard spokesman said there were no British military vessels nearby at present.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7126563.stm

[Xipe Totec]

1. This has all the trappings of a bio wepons experiment

viral-inducted asthma? who's ever heard of this crap? Google for this and only two hits come back; both about Tristan da Cunha


This is some scary shit.

[Crunchy Frog]

2. Apparently they have a susceptability to athsma due to inbreeding.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Search for "viral induced asthma"

and you'll get 1950 hits, though. A bad choice of words, or even a typo, by the journalist.

[alfredo]

3. Could be gasses from the volcano?

[rocktivity]

4. That's what I'm thinking--an eruption is far from necessary

for harmful volcanic gases to escape.

:(
rocknation

[alfredo]

5. their isolation could be a factor too. they are not getting

"inoculated" by contact with the world population.

[alfredo]

7. Remember that volcano in Africa that had a turnover of gas laden

water in it's crater. The gases killed everyone nearby.