Blog 5: Animals Suspected in Spread of New Virus

A new respiratory virus recognized by the British Health Protection agency has a close connection with a virus in bats; and possibly sheep, goats camels as well. Due to the similarity between the two viruses, it is considered that two victims of the virus from the Middle East contracted it from animals. This type of virus, also known as a coronavirus, is suspected to have infected the two victims through direct contact with animals, likely to be bats. The infections happened months apart, and the first victim died but the second is in critical but stable condition. The World Health Organization has issued a global alert asking doctors to be vigilant of any potential cases of this virus. The Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia is a potential opportunity for it to spread, and officials in that country have already notified pilgrims to cover theri faces in crowded places and maintain clean hands. Origins of the virus are still unknown, as is its future.
 The globalization of disease would definitely be accelerated if the virus is contracted by pilgrims on the Hajj pilgrimage, since pilgrims from around the globe arrive for it. Health isn't usually thought of as affecting religious and cultural traditions, but the point may be approaching where some traditions have to be let go of because they aren't safe anymore due to the risk of disease, as happens in this article. This begs the question of how the bats got the disease to begin with: human disease is(a majority of the time) correllated with diet, and the same may be true here. Bats feed on(among other things) pollen, which has been negatively affected by colony collapse disorder. Colony collapse disorder, in turn, has been instigated in part by cell phone radiation, genetically modified crops and other enrivonmental exhaustions. Therefore, globalization might very well be the essential cause of the coronavirus and the potential disruption of a centuries-old tradition: an especially ominous phenomenon.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/28/3024418/animals-suspected-in-spread-of.html