Gasping For Air:

Part 1

From an AP dispatch out of Hanoi dated May 16^th, 1995:

fishermen were admitted to a Haiphong hospital early this morning

after complaining of respiratory distress....

From the May 17^th, 1995 New York Times, page A7:

From the May 19^th, 1995 broadcast of BBC’s 9 O’Clock News:

…Vietnamese medical authorities are baffled by the continuing spread of a

strange new respiratory virus which has so far claimed the lives of eight Haiphong

residents....

From a memo by CIA director George J. Tenet to President Bill Clinton dated May 22^nd, 1995:

....Our interests in the Far East could be threatened if the current respiratory virus epidemic in

Vietnam isn’t contained soon; the Vietnamese government’s official estimated death toll currently

stands at fifteen, and unofficially our field agents in southeast Asia think it may be even higher.

Left unchecked, this virus could spread to our allies in the region and destabilize many of them,

and we can’t rule out the possibility of the disease reaching the Middle East as well...

From the May 23^rd, 1995 edition of The Australian, front page:

DEATH TOLL FROM HAIPHONG RESPIRATORY VIRUS UP TO 24; VIRUS NOW REPORTED

TO HAVE SPREAD TO HANOI

From the May 27^th, 1995 broadcast of ABC’s World News Tonight With Peter Jennings:

....The death toll in the Haiphong virus epidemic now stands at twenty-nine,

according to official Vietnamese government estimates, and this afternoon

the UN’s World Health Organization reported that the agency has obtained

concrete evidence the virus may have spread as far south in Vietnam as Thanh

Hoa...

From the June 1^st, 1995 San Francisco Examiner, page 3A:

HAIPHONG VIRUS CASUALTY TOLL NOW AT 33

Laos, Kampuchea close their borders in effort to keep epidemic at bay

From the June 2^nd, 1995 New York Times, front page:

CLINTON TO MEET WITH VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR TO U.S.

TO DISCUSS HAIPHONG VIRUS EPIDEMIC

From a Radio Hanoi broadcast dated June 4^th, 1995:

10:00 AM curfew in their area is still in effect and shall remain in force until

further notice. Violators of this curfew are subject to prompt arrest and

incarceration; those who resist arrest shall be subject to summary execution.

We cannot afford to take unnecessary risks with the health of the people of

our country....

From the June 7^th, 1995 Manchester Guardian:

British tourists urged to avoid southeast Asia until plague has been brought under control

From the June 9^th, 1995 Toronto Globe & Mail:

HAIPHONG VIRUS DEATH TOLL UP TO 43

From an Antenne-2 TV(France) special news bulletin dated June 12^th, 1995:

The death toll now stands at 46 in the respiratory virus epidemic currently

ravaging much of northern Vietnam, and there are concerns that the virus

may sooner or later spread into China as well. Forty minutes ago, the Chinese

government sealed China’s border with Vietnam in an effort to keep suspected

carriers of the Haiphong virus out of the People’s Republic...

From the June 16^th, 1995 Honolulu Star-Bulletin, page 3:

HAIPHONG VIRUS CASUALTIES NOW UP TO 52; EPIDEMIC MAY HAVE REACHED HO CHI MINH CITY

From the June 18^th, 1995 Boston Globe, page A5:

The 6PM-10AM curfews which have been in effect for the Haiphong and

Hanoi areas of Vietnam since late May have been extended for another

14 days, according to an official statement from the Vietnamese national

health ministry. The curfews were enacted in order to halt the spread of

the Haiphong respiratory virus, which has so far claimed 54 lives....

From the June 21^st, 1995 Moscow News, front page:

PRESIDENT YELTSIN TO AUTHORIZE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR

VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT

Premier offers sympathies to Hanoi as virus epidemic continues

From the June 22^nd, 1995 broadcast of The NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw:

What has been suspected and feared for nearly a week officially became stark

reality late this afternoon when Vietnamese health officials verified that at least

three cases of the so-called Haiphong respiratory virus have been diagnosed in Ho

Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. The virus, which scientists think may have mutated

into its present form from a type of respiratory infection common among poultry,

has left 60 people dead since the HRV epidemic first broke out in Vietnam more than

a month ago...

From the June 24^th, 1995 New York Times, front page:

TWO CASES OF HRV DIAGNOSED IN THAILAND

First Known Outbreak of Haiphong Virus Outside Vietnam

From a BBC-TV newscast dated June 27^th, 1995:

The death toll now stands at three in Thailand and seventy-one overall as the

Haiphong respiratory virus epidemic continues to ravage parts of southeast Asia...

From a CNN.com bulletin posted to the site on July 1^st, 1995:

Today the Haiphong respiratory virus epidemic claimed its 75^th victim as a

farmer in southern Thailand passed away in a Bangkok hospital...

From an ESPN special bulletin dated July 6^th, 1995:

With the body count now up to 83 in the Haiphong respiratory virus

epidemic in southeast Asia, International Olympic Committee officials

are in consultation with the World Health Organization at this hour to

map out procedures for protecting competitors, judges, and spectators

against the virus at next year’s Summer Games in Atlanta and the 1998

Winter Games in Nagano, Japan...

From the July 9^th, 1995 edition of CBS’ 60 Minutes:

Some call it just a passing blip on the immunological radar screen; others fear it may be the

beginning of a health crisis on a scale approaching that of the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic that

devastated much of Europe and North America. But whatever it turns out to be, the Haiphong

respiratory virus epidemic currently ravaging parts of southeast Asia is undeniably cause for

concern; the death toll from this disease, which has so far eluded all efforts to find a cure, is

already climbing towards 90 and may reach 100 before the end of the summer...

From the July 12^th, 1995 San Francisco Chronicle, page A4:

DEATH TOLL IN HRV EPIDEMIC STANDS AT 94

CDC warns virus may reach US soil within 5-6 months

unless strict safeguards instituted

From the July 14^th, 1995 broadcast of BBC-TV’s 9 O’Clock News:

Despite the closure of its border with Vietnam more than a month ago,

Kampuchea will apparently not be spared the ravages of the HRV epidemic;

just before we went on the air we received confirmation from our Phnom Penh

bureau that two cases of the lethal respiratory disease have been diagnosed in

Kampuchean hospitals....

From the July 18^th, 1995 Asahi Shimbun, front page:

Haiphong Virus Epidemic Claims Its 100^th Victim

From the July 20^th, 1995 New York Post, page 3:

From the July 21^st, 1995 Manchester Guardian:

The toll in the Haiphong virus epidemic currently ravaging much of southeast

Asia now stands at one hundred and four. These latest deaths come just as

United Nations health officials are expressing concern that the virus may have

already begun infecting Japanese citizens...

From the July 23^rd, 1995 Los Angeles Times, front page:

DOCTORS AT TOKYO HOSPITAL CONFIRM TWO CASES OF HRV

First recorded instance of the virus outside southeast Asia

From a State Department travel advisory issued on July 27^th, 1995:

Travelers to Japan are warned that a provisional medical emergency has been declared

in the metropolitan Tokyo area…

From a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV news bulletin dated July 29^th, 1995:

The Canadian embassy in Tokyo is under quarantine tonight after two embassy staffers

were diagnosed with the Haiphong virus.…

From the August 1^st. 1995 Sydney Morning Herald:

From the August 4^th, 1995 Boston Globe, front page:

VIRUS NEARS 115

From the August 5^th, 1995 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, front page:

CITY OFFICIALS PROMISE OLYMPIC VIILAGE MEDICAL FACILITIES WILL BE READY

TO HANDLE HRV CASES AMONG ATHLETES AT ’96 SUMMER GAMES

From the August 7^th, 1995 broadcast of BBC’s 9 O’Clock News:

Just minutes before we began this broadcast we received word from our

Tokyo correspondent that there have been three more deaths in Japan

from the Haiphong virus, bringing the total number of casualties from that

respiratory illness to 118...

From a Channel 9(Australia) news bulletin dated August 10^th, 1995:

respiratory virus which has to date caused 123 deaths in Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, and Japan....

From the August 12^th, 1995 Hartford Courant, page A3:

CDC OFFICIALS FEAR HAIPHONG VIRUS MAY REACH UNITED STATES

EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED

Warn continental US could see HRV outbreaks as early as November

From the August 13^th, 1995 New York Times, front page:

DEATH TOLL FROM HRV EPIDEMIC NOW UP TO 130;

FIVE NEW CASES DIAGNOSED IN JAPAN

From the August 15^th, 1995 San Diego Union-Tribune, page 4:

THAI HEALTH OFFICIALS REPORT POSSIBLE HRV CASE IN BANGKOK

From the August 17^th, 1995 New York Times, front page:

HRV CASE IN BANGKOK CONFIRMED; WORLDWIDE HRV DEATH

COUNT NOW UP TO 136

From a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV news bulletin dated August 20^th, 1995:

The Canadian Foreign Secretary’s office has ordered a precautionary evacuation of

dependents and non-essential personnel from the Canadian embassy in Bangkok as the

overall death toll from the HRV epidemic currently ravaging southeast Asia stands at

140....

From the August 22^nd, 1995 Houston Post, page A2:

Oklahoma Tourist Infected With HRV

Tulsa resident, 27, in critical condition at Bangkok hospital; first American

citizen infected with Haiphong virus

From the August 23^rd, 1995 Manchester Guardian:

UN HEALTH AUTHORITIES WARN GLOBAL DEATH TOLL FROM HRV

COULD REACH 200 IN COMING WEEKS

From the August 28^th, 1995 midday broadcast of CNN Headline News:

Just moments ago, World Health Organization officials confirmed to our

UN correspondent in New York that the Haiphong virus epidemic that has

been plaguing southeast Asia for more than three months claimed its 150^th

victim early this morning...

From an August 30^th, 1995 New York Times guest editorial by First Lady Hillary Clinton:

Like all of you, I’m greatly troubled by the HRV epidemic that has claimed so many

lives in Asia. I’ve seen enough news reports about this terrible and devastating virus

to know that I never want it to reach our shores; however, if, God forbid, there is an

HRV outbreak on U.S. soil, I want to reassure my fellow Americans that my husband’s

administration is using all of its available resources to guarantee that our country’s

medical facilities will be ready to meet the challenge posed by this lethal contagion....

From the September 2^nd, 1995 broadcast of the KGO-TV(San Francisco) 12:00 PM midday news:

The worldwide casualty toll from the HRV epidemic currently plaguing

much of southeast has risen to 157 as the World Health Organization is

attempting to verify reports that the lethal respiratory disease may have

now reached Burma...

From a Centers for Disease Control press release dated September 4^th, 1995:

The CDC has received confirmation from the World Health Organization that cases

of the Haiphong respiratory virus have in fact been diagnosed in Burma; at least two

Burmese nationals are presently known to be infected with HRV and it is suspected

that there may be as many as ten additional cases of the virus present within Burma’s

borders....

From a British Foreign Service travel advisory dated September 5^th, 1995:

Due to the uncertain health situation in Japan, Kampuchea, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand,

and Burma, travelers are warned to avoid southeast Asia as much as possible when on

international flights....

From the September 8^th, 1995 Dallas Morning Herald, page 2:

WORLDWIDE HRV DEATH TOLL UP TO 165 AS FIVE NEW HRV CASES

DIAGNOSED IN BURMA

From the September 13^th, 1995 Manchester Guardian, front page:

UN HEALTH OFFICIALS TO DEBRIEF SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT ON

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN HRV EPIDEMIC

Total worldwide casualties from virus projected to reach 180 by October 1st

From the September 16^th, 1995 New York Post, page 3:

TERROR DOWN UNDER

New poll reveals Australians fear their country may be next hit by HRV epidemic

From the September 22^nd, 1995 Montreal Gazette, front page:

PM ORDERS FULL-SCALE REVIEW OF NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM

READINESS TO DEAL WITH POSSIBLE HRV OUTBREAKS

From the September 23^rd, 1995 New York Times, page A2:

CDC OFFICIALS ‘ALARMED’ AT INCREASE IN RATE OF HRV INFECTIONS IN ASIA

Fears Expressed A U.S. Outbreak Of The Virus May Be Just 45 Days Away

From the September 25^th, 1995 Jerusalem Post:

HEALTH MINISTER: ISRAEL’S HOSPITALS NOT READY TO HANDLE HRV OUTBREAK

Says protocols for dealing with virus ‘shockingly lax’

From the September 28^th, 1995 broadcast of BBC’s 9 O’Clock News:

The already horrendous health crisis gripping southeast Asia has now become even

more dire with word that two cases of the deadly Haiphong respiratory virus have

been diagnosed at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea. According to a senior hospital

spokesman, both patients are medical workers who had recently returned from

Burma on leave from HRV relief efforts in that country by the international group

Doctors Without Borders...

From the October 2^nd, 1995 Montreal Gazette, front page:

DEATH TOLL FROM ASIAN HRV EPIDEMIC NOW STANDS AT 180; MAY SOON

REACH 200, ACCORDING TO HEALTH EXPERTS

Latest polls say 3 out of 4 Canadians worried virus may soon reach this country

From the October 4^th, 1995 broadcast of ABC’s World News Tonight With Peter Jennings:

The Clinton Administration today sounded a grim warning about the steady and

hastening spread of the Haiphong respiratory virus across the Pacific. At a press

conference in the White House Rose Garden, US Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders told

reporters that data compiled on the current HRV epidemic by the nation’s leading

infectious disease specialists suggests that the virus will most likely reach this country

before November 1^st, with southern California or Hawaii as the probable entry points

for the HRV virus....