Growing Concerns

China is showing its transparency and vigilance in detecting the A (H1N1) virus with now a second case confirmed on the mainland.

While I was running on the treadmill after work, I flipped the channels on the TV monitor above and Beijing TV (BTV) was broadcasting a drama but underneath in Chinese and English it had a ticker tape saying that a second case of A (H1N1) was found. It then explained that the person had taken an Air Canada flight 029 from Canada to Beijing on May 8 and then three days took train D41 to Jinan in Shandong Province.

It added that if anyone was on that flight in rows 32 to 38, or in train carriage number 7 should report to the health authorities as soon as possible.

It's impressive to see China moving quickly to contain the virus as quickly as possible, but it also shows that its people are not knowledgeable enough about the seriousness of the situation to quickly go to a hospital or quarantine themselves.

The next few days will indicate if there will be more cases in China and the panic button pressed.

On the other extreme, the other day my colleague asked me how I got to work each day. When I said I took the bus, she acted surprised and said, "You're not worried about catching swine flu?"

My experience living here has always been one of polar opposites and nothing really in between. You have to take each with a grain of salt -- or sugar? and find your own happy medium.