# Mystery Disease--160 Dead in 14 days, & climbing. Newslink **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359 "2008-08-26T22:22:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/1 "2008-08-26T22:22:41Z")
Location: India. It started in one village, as spread to 350 villages, & has killed 160 people. In two weeks. It hasn’t been identified. [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=9c992524-8c22-4c60-8dea-c595ff5d1cd7](http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=9c992524-8c22-4c60-8dea-c595ff5d1cd7) > [@](#): > > Rural Kanpur is fighting its most frightening scourge — a mystery disease that has left a long line of bodies in its trail and doesn’t seem anywhere finished. > > What started from one village two weeks ago has now spread to 350 and has so far claimed 160 lives. Thousands more are bed-ridden. On an average, 15 to 20 people have been dying every day; Saturday saw the highest toll in a day: 24. > > “We really don’t know what exactly it is; we are depending on the finding of a team of specialists from New Delhi,” said Dr RC Agarwal, the district’s new chief medical officer. > > But the fear of the unknown has resulted in a mass exodus of villagers. Pulandar and Dhar villages under Malasa block are > the worst affected. About 1,000 people in these two villages alone are battling the disease. Dhar has taken the maximum number of casualties. The village has lost about 30 people but only one doctor has visited it so far. That was 15 days ago. Not nice. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/2 "2008-08-26T22:28:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Dhar still remains a perfect picture of neglect and apathy. Heaps of garbage continue to be littered all over. Houses are surrounded by stinking filth and roads are waterlogged — perfect breeding grounds for diseases like malaria. The village’s secondary school has been shut down for an indefinite period. Children would wade through knee-deep water to reach the school. Not to sound like Mary Antoinette or anything but it sounds like they could solve their problem pretty easily with a little housekeeping. If they need money, let’s donate some money. I don’t want that shit spreading. Sounds nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/3 "2008-08-27T00:57:05Z")
It’s the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, mark my words. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/4 "2008-08-27T01:00:02Z")
Looks like I’m moving to Madagascar. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/5 "2008-08-27T02:05:45Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Location: India. It started in one village, as spread to 350 villages, & has killed 160 people. In two weeks. It hasn’t been identified. [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=9c992524-8c22-4c60-8dea-c595ff5d1cd7](http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=9c992524-8c22-4c60-8dea-c595ff5d1cd7) Not nice. [/QUOTE] It looks like that’s an older story. The date just under “Hindustan Times” is 2006. And the copyright is 2007. But thanks for skeering the bejeebers out of me! And the copyright is 2007. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/6 "2008-08-27T02:16:14Z")
[QUOTE=BrassyPhrase] It looks like that’s an older story. The date just under “Hindustan Times” is 2006. And the copyright is 2007. [/quote] The story is current - that’s just a sloppy template. (Note the “first published” date.) Also, this [more recent story from the Times of India:](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Mystery_fever_claims_more_lives_in_Kanpur/articleshow/3409746.cms) > [@](#): > > The reports of 35 more patients falling to the mystery fever in Kanpur Dehat villages on Tuesday put the administration on tenterhooks. > > […] > > The deadly virus has, so far, claimed 210 lives across 350 villages of Akbarpur, Rasoolabad, Bhognipur and Sikandara tehsils of Kanpur Dehat, leaving villagers panicky. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/7 "2008-08-27T02:16:49Z")
[QUOTE=Amp] Looks like I’m moving to Madagascar. [/QUOTE] I _just_ finished playing that game! (Coming up with disease names is hard.) ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/8 "2008-08-27T02:24:03Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] The story is current - that’s just a sloppy template. (Note the “first published” date.) Also, this [more recent story from the Times of India:](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Mystery_fever_claims_more_lives_in_Kanpur/articleshow/3409746.cms) [/QUOTE] Ugh. I did notice but figured it was the current date that was sloppy. Well, you can rock me to sleep tonight **Larry Mudd** , thanks! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/9 "2008-08-27T02:28:43Z")
Sorry 'bout that. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/10 "2008-08-27T02:41:15Z")
[QUOTE=Amp] Looks like I’m moving to Madagascar. [/QUOTE] (\*)@(&#@% madagascar. That damned country closes its borders way too fast. Its nearly impossible to get it infected. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/11 "2008-08-27T02:56:03Z")
Where the fuck is Dustin Hoffman when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/12 "2008-08-27T03:10:40Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Where the fuck is Dustin Hoffman when you need him? [/QUOTE] Hey, I was thinking about Outbreak too. That movie scared the shit out of me when it came out. Around that time everyone in school was talking about ebola and saying that shit could really happen like it did in the movie. For awhile I believed the next hurricane was going to carry ebola (and thus the end of American civilization) with it. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/13 "2008-08-27T03:42:40Z")
[QUOTE=CutterJohn] (\*)@(&#@% madagascar. That damned country closes its borders way too fast. Its nearly impossible to get it infected. ☹ [/QUOTE] There’s a comic out there with someone phoning up the president of Madagascar. The person chirps, “Hey, somebody just coughed in Brazil!” and the President turns bright purple, and orders: “_Shut the entire country down now!_” Madagascar is going to rule the world, seriously. ---
**Author:** ![bufftabby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bufftabby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bufftabby)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/14 "2008-08-27T03:54:47Z")
And here I got my apocalyptophobic panties in a wad over nothing. Phew! But of course, the fact that I didn’t hear about this at the time means that epidemics could be raging all over the world right now, and I wouldn’t find out about it until a zombie came at my head with an ice cream scoop. Well, I, for one, welcome our new zombie overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/15 "2008-08-27T04:00:34Z")
psst - see post #6 ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/16 "2008-08-27T04:11:59Z")
[QUOTE=Amp] Looks like I’m moving to Madagascar. [/QUOTE] They closed off Madagascar back in 2006. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/17 "2008-08-27T08:42:20Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Madagascar is going to rule the world, seriously. [/QUOTE] Or at least, be the last thing left in it. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/18 "2008-08-27T11:07:21Z")
[QUOTE=Half Man Half Wit] Or at least, be the last thing left in it. [/QUOTE] What’s the difference? This is a bit… unsettling. However like a lot of the diseases that also run through Africa I wonder how much of the deaths and injuries are down to poor sanitation/diet and lack of access to good medical treatment. If the exact same disease appeared somewhere in the US or Europe would we even be even necessarily looking at fatalities? Anyway, one to watch. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/19 "2008-08-27T15:59:06Z")
[It’s malaria](http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/26/stories/2008082660091200.htm) Or, at least that’s what _they_ are saying. > [@](#): > > The deaths reported from Kanpur are now confirmed to have been caused by malaria. Course living in a reeking cesspool will do that to you. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359/20 "2008-08-27T16:11:12Z")
What game are yall talking about? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-disease-160-dead-in-14-days-climbing-newslink/461359.md?page=2)