No need to overreact

Even as the number of deaths from the current plague was reported to be ebbing in India yesterday, fear apparently continues to spread around the world. In Singapore, Southeast Asia's model of cleanliness and efficiency, employers are reported to have been asked not to import Indian workers until the epidemic in that country abates. And although flight schedules remain unaffected, all ships coming from India, or having transit stops in that country's ports, are required to notify quarantine officials before docking.

In Malaysia, Malaysian Airlines System is reported to have suspended all flights to India and Malaysians are advised to postpone travel to that plague beleaguered nation. Measures to prevent the plague from spreading to the home country have also been taken in other countries, from Australia to Switzerland and from Qatar to Russia.

Indeed, it may not be exaggerating say that the present plague in India is causing much greater fear around the world than the dreaded AIDS, from which no patient is known to have recovered so far. The obvious question is: Why?

Statistically speaking, there is not that much to worry about in the present outbreak of plague in India. True, so far more than 4,000 people in India are suspected of having caught the disease and at least 51 have died. The figures seem disturbing enough. But, as the Indian health officials say, what do those figures amount to in a total population of more than 900 million?

Of course, it is hardly avoidable that associations are made with the outbreak of plague that ravaged Europe during the Middle Ages.

Modern medicine has found ways to make the disease much less life threatening, and, therefore, less frightening. But the emergence of new and fatal diseases such as AIDS and the re- emergence of old diseases in more drug-resistant forms -- malaria and tuberculosis are good examples -- serve to prove that modern science is not always so effective in fighting old enemies.

As for the plague, who can argue that the carriers on which the disease rides -- rats -- are among the most difficult to eradicate? That explains the stepped up quarantine measures at air and seaports around the world.

In Thailand, special teams from the ministry of public health are even reported to have begun a major rat hunt to stop the rodents from entering the country.

Indeed, in light of all those developments -- the steady spread of AIDS, the re-emergence of old diseases and now a renewed outbreak of an old, much dreaded disease -- it is hard to resist the temptation to take the contemplative view and ponder the reasons why, in a way, medical history has taken its present turn.

Is it because of our disregard for our living environment? Or is it because of our indifference to what we may consider as old- fashioned rules of morality?

Whatever it is, we believe the best approach to surmounting situations such as this is to remain cool-headed and to avoid overreacting.