Has anyone heard anything about any small pox cases in the U.S.?

[genius]

Someone was just telling me that there have been a number of small pox cases in the U.S. and that Canada was considering closing its borders to U.S. Citizens as a result of this. This was the first I had heard about it. The only small pox anywhere in the last 50 years has been in laboratories that Bush's people control. If there are any cases, they are responsible. So is there any truth to the story?

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Not bloody likely.

Sounds like paranoia to me.

[Maple]

2. Haven't heard a peep in Canada

I'd say this was a hoax

[qanda]

3. There was a story on Nightline the other night

It was about what the response would be if there were an outbreak of smallpox. But, that's the only thing I've heard.

[Bronco69]

4. As far as I know

the only small pox that exist is in vials in laboratories. Small Pox has been eradicated.

[Warpy]

5. No reported cases ANYWHERE

"On Oct. 26, 1977, the world's last case of naturally acquired smallpox was reported in Somalia. Three years later, the World Health Organization declared the world free of naturally occurring smallpox. Eradication of the disease, a campaign that began in 1966, was considered an unprecedented accomplishment."

http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/167/11/1278-a

There were only two stocks of smallpox virus in the world, one in a containment facility in the US and a one in a similar facility in the old Soviet Union.

I rather doubt this has changed, although Fuckwit's gang will try to scare you to death that it has.

[genius]

6. This is reassuring. I'm certain if it were true, someone would have heard

something here. This group is more in touch with current news events than the average person.

[hlthe2b]

7. Total BS... someone is pulling your leg.

[burn the bush]

8. whooping cough. I've heard of whooping cough outbreaks

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DireStrike]

10. Newsmax: Rumsfeld to require troops to get smallpox shots

This is a story that came up when I googled...

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/12/12/142220.shtml

We, and Russia, control the only living smallpox on the planet... wtf?

[CoffeeCat]

11. Nightline the other night: I completely freaked, cuz the story looked real.

Last week, Nightline did a special on the ramifications of a small pox outbreak in the United States.

I happened to turn on the television as the show featured mock disaster-plan meetings with high-level officials from around the world.
Madeline Albright and other international figures were posed around a table, discussing the small-pox outbreak, as if it was real and happening right now!

During this mock meeting, there was no writing on the screen which would indicate that this was only a supposed scenario. It looked VERY real!!

When I tuned in, Albright was saying, "We have 50 confirmed cases of small pox in the Los Angeles area, 40 in the Denver area and..."

I couldn't believe what I was seeing and I stood stunned, in front of the television for a few minutes, until Koppell came on and explained that these meetings were designed for disaster preparedness.

Maybe someone saw this Nightline stuff and thought it was real.