Topic: Outbreak

A report from January regarding a truck accident involving monkeys in Missouri is revisited as a precursor to the current monkeypox narrative. The hosts compare the media coverage of a woman who touched a monkey crate to the plot of the film Outbreak, suggesting the event was staged to create public anxiety.

Dr. Deborah Birx reports that many states show less than a 5% positive test rate due to successful mitigation efforts. However, an alternative theory is proposed that different viral strains, such as the more aggressive "L-strain" versus the "S-strain," may be responsible for the varying severity of outbreaks in major port cities. The discussion notes that the virus has multiple mutations that complicate a unified national response.

A 2017 recording from George Washington University features Dr. Anthony Fauci predicting that the next administration would face a "surprise outbreak" of infectious disease. Fauci cites his 32-year history as the director of NIAID as the basis for his certainty that every administration faces such challenges. The phrasing is scrutinized for its seemingly prophetic nature regarding the current global health crisis.

Reports from Ireland indicate hospitals are restricting visitors due to a flu outbreak, despite high vaccination rates, with officials admitting the virus has "drifted" from the vaccine strain. The hosts also discuss two unsealed lawsuits against Merck alleging the company falsified data to meet FDA efficacy requirements for the mumps component of the MMR vaccine. They suggest these legal battles are being overshadowed by the media coverage of the Disney measles outbreak.

The hosts critique the TNT television series "The Last Ship," which depicts a global viral pandemic that kills most of the world's population. They suggest the show's timing is suspicious given the real-world Ebola headlines and dismiss the program as low-quality entertainment.

Reports of a Tamiflu shortage are circulating as the CDC claims the flu is "widespread" in two-thirds of the United States. However, a "global incident map" shows very few significant outbreaks outside of North America, with only isolated cases in places like Belize and Romania. This discrepancy suggests the "growing threat" narrative may be localized or exaggerated to drive pharmaceutical sales.

The hosts discuss the "Nordic outbreak" of cold weather in Texas and California, framing it as evidence of global cooling. They report on Willie Nelson's tour bus crashing on slick roads, resulting in injuries to three band members. The conversation transitions into the dangers of bus and boating accidents.

Government officials Kathleen Sebelius and Janet Napolitano have shifted their terminology from "pandemic" to "outbreak" during press conferences. This change is viewed as a calculated effort to evoke the imagery of the film *Outbreak* and increase public concern. The use of synchronized media "memes," such as the word "dithering" to describe President Obama, is also noted.

The World Health Organization is reportedly considering raising the pandemic alert to level six for the swine flu. The hosts argue that the severity is exaggerated to fulfill pharmaceutical contracts for vaccines. Dvorak recalls his time as an air pollution inspector during the 1976 swine flu scare.