Hundreds Hospitalised In Vietnam Due To Temperature Minima of -4C (Honestly)

reply to post by harrytuttle

Awww. come on harry! We all get sick here too with rapid temperature changes or back and forth highs and lows.

For people really not used to colder weather, it's even more of a shock to the body. In some places people just don't have cold weather clothing (like most people in FL) and layers, while they help if you think of it, don't help if you're caught unaware, say at work, and have to get home. Also, as many have said, homes that aren't built for cold weather, even those in the southern U.S., can be pretty hard to keep warm. I'm sure the homes in really tropical climates are even worse.

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross


I'm not disputing the fact that its cold for them, what i'm disputing is the fact that a respiratory illness is being blamed on the cold weather, its just totally incorrect! Its clearly a potent infection if it is hospitalising people...now if the article said hypothermia then i wouldnt have started the thread...

reply to post by jrmcleod


It would not be a direct cause no, but it could very much be exacerbated by the cold weather.

You know.. I have to eat some humble pie.. and I dont like it.

Being around kill offs when younger I really and sincerely believed the initial reports were just normal cyclic kill offs... and people were freaking due to the net being able to give us information so quickly and to those that werent familiar with the phenomenon.

Here's the humble pie part: This isnt cyclic. I was wrong. This is across species kill off with BS explanations. From cold to warm blooded.. seemingly not from animal to human. I really dont understand it. Viral and bacterial agents dont work like this.. not fast and across species like this. Especially dont do their thing without warning or previous symptoms .....Unless we are talking about a hemorrhagic type thing.. ebola or her sisters.. and even then the outward symptomology should be unmistakable. Theyre so hot they could wipe large amounts of people and animals.. but I dont think there is such a thing as a hemorrhagic meanie for amphibians or fish or birds. If it were chemical it should be easily detectable.. but it seems that these deaths all ove rth world are from different things.. the things they say are evident upon necropsy arent even related to each other. No one chemical agent I guess. WTF.. All Im sure of at this point is its not fireworks, lightening, downdrafts or cold.


Maybe you crazy doomsdayer conspiracy folks may have a point.. mother nature is pissed.

Originally posted by jrmcleod
reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross

 

I'm not disputing the fact that its cold for them, what i'm disputing is the fact that a respiratory illness is being blamed on the cold weather, its just totally incorrect! Its clearly a potent infection if it is hospitalising people...now if the article said hypothermia then i wouldnt have started the thread...

Youre right. The media kind of counts on the public believing BS because they dont know any better.

So with all that's been said I hope we can rule out those that are sick have a virus and they are in the hospital for it, not because of the weather. If they are hospitalized due to the cold wouldn't the media say it was hypothermia, I would think so!!!! I need to go back and read about the animals that died in Vietnam, I think they are trying to play the same media game there with us.

Originally posted by InvisibleAlbatross
reply to post by harrytuttle

 

How many Vietnamese do you suppose have any winter clothing?

This is very easy to believe, because they are not used to it. When my friend arrived here, she found plus 5 Celsius to be very cold.

edit on 18-1-2011 by InvisibleAlbatross because: (no reason given)

My friend who just emigrated to Qatar said that it is cold there now (16 celsius) and it has been raining non stop for 2 days and that people are wearing big fat winter coats and earmuffs. No joke. Qatar is off Saudi Arabia. It is fairly normal but still, people experience that kind of change as a big freeze when in Summer it can be as hot as 50 celsius.

Come on you guys. I have a difficult time with the animals, unless lack of food is an issue. The people, however I can understand.

This is a tropical location. They most likely do not have a good means of heating their homes, or warm clothing. Think about it. If you are exposed to the elements for any length of time at that temperature (below freezing) you are at risk. Decreased sunshine and cold temperatures DO add to illness. That is why flu season is when it is, and people get colds when they are exposed. It decreases your immune system. You take some of those elderly veitnemese who are used to warm, humid weather and expose them to sub-freezing temperatures you are going to have the issues we are hearing about.

Just because it is not a problem for us, does not mean it isn't a dangerous situation for them.

Originally posted by westcoast
This is a tropical location. They most likely do not have a good means of heating their homes, or warm clothing. Think about it. If you are exposed to the elements for any length of time at that temperature (below freezing) you are at risk. Decreased sunshine and cold temperatures DO add to illness. That is why flu season is when it is, and people get colds when they are exposed.It decreases your immune system. You take some of those elderly veitnemese who are used to warm, humid weather and expose them to sub-freezing temperatures you are going to have the issues we are hearing about.

THIS.

The bacterias are ALWAYS there, but the cold weather weakens the inmune system, (specially on infants and the elderly) making it much more plausible to contract an infectious disease...

I wish it would get up to -4 C here in Minnesota.... negative 10 F or colder tonight with a wind chill of negative 25 F...

Heck, last time it was -4 C I didn't wear a jacket to work and went and got my car washed!

hello ats, Im vietnamese and so are my parents. From what they tell me, it's not normal for vietnam to be this cold at ALL. All their buildings, housing and such has no insulation at all. It's just straight bricks and stone . The reason for this is because they being living comfortably with the weather they get all year around but RECENTLY there has been odd weather patterns. Also it's not normal for 7000 livestock to die at once. They have been able to live and adapt to the weather all year around but once again, the weather pattern change and killed the. Dont let the goverment blame it on a virus or anything. My 2 cents

Originally posted by drakus

Originally posted by westcoast
This is a tropical location. They most likely do not have a good means of heating their homes, or warm clothing. Think about it. If you are exposed to the elements for any length of time at that temperature (below freezing) you are at risk. Decreased sunshine and cold temperatures DO add to illness. That is why flu season is when it is, and people get colds when they are exposed.It decreases your immune system. You take some of those elderly veitnemese who are used to warm, humid weather and expose them to sub-freezing temperatures you are going to have the issues we are hearing about.

THIS.

The bacterias are ALWAYS there, but the cold weather weakens the inmune system, (specially on infants and the elderly) making it much more plausible to contract an infectious disease...

Ok lets get something straight. There is NO evidence to suggest that Cold weather directly relates to a weakening immune system. What makes your immune system weaker is the resulting effect of human activity DURING cold spells. In summer time, people are active and outdoors, they arent so close to one another, hence the lesser chance of catching a virus. In winter, people tend to stay indoors and in warmer areas. They are less active in terms of otdoor activites and thus become more seceptable to catching a virus or infection. This is common knowledge, but the media tellyou otherwise.

A respiratory infection is the cause of either a bacterial infection or viral infection. It is NOT caused by weather turning cold, nor does your immunity weaken just because its cold. The article imlies that these infections are caused by the cold weather....they aren't, they are caused by people staying indoors and huddled together and not being active.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


Yes we all get sick but its not because the temperature changes. Its because your lifestyle changes and people huddle together indoors, that affects your immunity...not whether its 10C or -10C...

reply to post by jrmcleod


Mostly true per the "studies" and still related if they're huddling for warmth, I was thinking along the lines of how down here our crazy weather sometimes makes pollen patterns go nuts and brings on allergies, which cause a lot of secondary and asthmatic infections or attacks too, as does burning wood or turning on the heat coming through vents where bacteria may thrive. Severe chills (75 degrees one day then 10 degrees one day and 85 the next week then back to 20) can weaken the immune system as well and increase the risks. All I was really trying to say, is they're not used to it. It takes a while, over years, to acclimate both bodies and homes.

I find this amazing, if this isn't a wake up call I don't know what is. I have not been to Vietnam but I have visited Malaysia twice because I was visiting my mother who lived out there for 14 years for her husbands insurance firm. It is always hot there all year round bloody hot and humid ( I hate humidity). I could not imagine it ever being -4 unless it was up in the mountains.