Could cockcroaches be the carrier for the SARS virus which spread rapidly throughout an apartment block in Kowloon Hong Kong? This was suggested by the HK authorities after they were baffled by how the disease could have infected 300 people there so easily, even those who had no direct contact with any SARS patient.

Our generation has not witness this much fear and paranoia over a disease before. The situation in Singapore seems to be escalating too. Eight people on the island has died from SARS so far with including a 27-year old doctor who had treated another SARS patient. Another SARS patient has lost both her parents already from the dreaded disease.

To East Asians, SARS is bigger news than the war in Iraq. And definitely a bigger tragedy too.