A worst-case scenario in WA, based on events in China, is over just over 2500 positive cases, a few more than 500 people with something worse than a cold, and maybe 36 deaths, most of whom would have had pre-existing medical conditions.

To give some perspective, so far this northern winter in the USA there have been at least 32 million cases of influenza, 180,000 hospitalisations and 18,000 deaths. The figures would be similar and possibly greater in Europe and far greater in China. 

This happens each and every year.  

By the end of February there have been 105,000 cases of COVID-19 across the whole world. 

In other words, there has been a HUGE over-reaction. 

A case of Apocalypse NOT! 

If you want Apocalypse SOON, try AMR! 

Untreatable bloodstream infection (Sepsis) cause 2000 deaths per day world-wide according to President Barry.  Tim adds that even if you survive, your life expectancy is reduced, quite markedly in older people. 

Tim says part of the problem has been that until very recently no-one thought of sepsis as a malignant disease, caused by the misuse of antibiotics that changes the body’s microbiome, the millions of micro-organisms that live on your skin and in your gut.   

Every time you take antibiotics you change some of these.  Some die, but others become deadly bacterial superbugs, which carry genes that make them immune to modern medicine.  They then spread these genes to other bacteria and pass them from person to person, through animals, food and our environment. 

That’s why your Club has been campaigning for raised awareness and action on AMR under the banner of ONE HEALTH.  The panic caused by COVID-19 provides us with an opportunity of moving the urgency of action to focus on the thing that is surely going to kill someone you love. 

This week your Board decided to mount a campaign “Clean Hands in Applecross Village”, that part of Ardross St that hosts the JacFest once a year.  It will focus on the 10 retail food outlets and will hopefully generate some good media coverage for Applecross Rotary and AMR AWARE.