digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

British TV crew 'spread deadly flu to remote Peruvian tribe'

telegraph.co.uk — A British production company making a reality television show in the Peruvian Amazon has been accused of starting a flu epidemic which allegedly killed four members of a remote native tribe and left many others seriously ill.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • nahsrocketeer75, on 03/27/2008, -8/+19That's awful. The film company does deny that its employees were in the village where people died, but you have to wonder what might have prompted such a complaint if it were not true.
    • airburst, on 03/27/2008, -9/+6I'm surprised they actually blamed something that was real rather then magic or spirits.
      • boombye, on 03/27/2008, -4/+3You're just ignorant airburst.
        • WhatInThe42o, on 03/27/2008, -1/+4Alternatively, he could be referring to the widespread practice of explaining the unknown through the use of the spiritual. You may have heard of this before . . . some call it Christianity, but it goes by many names. FTA: "Indigenous communities blamed researchers from London-based Cicada Films for the outbreak in the isolated Matsigenka tribe where people had previously had little contact with Western diseases." But, no, you could be right; the isolated indigenous population probably knew immediately that it was a strain of the influenza virus.
          • boombye, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Or maybe I just don't see why he's surprised.
  • starbabe, on 03/27/2008, -12/+35The flu doesn't just strike a remote village, the crew is to blame.
    • airburst, on 03/27/2008, -10/+5I assume you are a microbiologist? Or maybe you have information that wasn't printed in the story?
      • Maxmojo015, on 03/27/2008, -3/+3Nah, he just a person using his brain... unlike some people...
        • doctechnical, on 03/27/2008, -0/+4Right. There's no vector for disease other than humans.
    • norman619, on 03/27/2008, -3/+4I'm guessing you are assuming no one else on that continenet could have come in contact with the natives?
      • MrQuoz, on 03/27/2008, -1/+5Actually yeah I guess that's the assumption.
    • Mootabolife, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1The rats from the ships in the 1400s finally reproduced enough and spread to the remote village. The most probable explanation.. that or the tv crew.
    • d03boy, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2a flu can be developed from pigs and birds. Hence the name avian flu. They develop from the filth they live in
  • narcofiche, on 03/27/2008, -4/+10And watch, they go back to film a reality show about how your life changes when living in a tribe with a flu epidemic.
  • Linkin4, on 03/27/2008, -6/+3Good work, Shagnon
  • tekhna, on 03/27/2008, -5/+58Well, it's been happening since 1492, why should it stop now I guess?
    • halobender, on 03/27/2008, -2/+8You could say this is survival of the fittest.
      /Prepared to be buried...
    • Goblinkiller, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2Yeah - I guess Columbus flew there in a couple of hours and "discovered" america...
      People and disease can move quite a lot faster these days than for 500 years ago.
  • notcarsondaly, on 03/27/2008, -4/+15PRIME DIRECTIVE
  • TheZorch, on 03/27/2008, -8/+4They should be tried for using Germ Warfare.
  • Armstrong3, on 03/27/2008, -5/+33way to go, idiots. stupid reality tv.
    • boombye, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1you can thank the uk for tabloids and reality tv
      • boombye, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Why did I get dugg down? All our reality tv shows are American versions of UK shows that were already out.. and tabloids, thanks for the whole paparazzi culture.
    • Impeller, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1***** Simon Cowell!!!
  • serif69, on 03/27/2008, -5/+23"Care for some blankets?" -Jeffrey Amherst
  • shyboy2008, on 03/27/2008, -11/+3its George Bush's fault.
    • addicted68098, on 03/27/2008, -6/+2Totally true, the only person stupid enough to come up with an idea as terrible as reality TV has to be George Bush. In fact it is quite possible that reality TV rivals the war in Iraq in sheer stupidity which if my theory is correct we should be a new show called "The Bush Administration" on fox sometime next fall when the writers are running out of ideas for new shows that would entertain people who like bright colors and eccentric blind people.
    • Impeller, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1I want my 7 seconds back, this thread is the "stupidest" thing I've ever read...
  • addicted68098, on 03/27/2008, -9/+17Does anyone want to join me in an all out protest-boycott against reality TV. This is very ridiculous how people can watch such terrible television. In fact I want to see a reality TV show about people watching a show about people watching reality TV. That's good television; of course I can't watch because I just declared a boycott.
    • esteskid, on 03/27/2008, -2/+8So you previously watched ***** television, but can't now because of this injustice?
      • addicted68098, on 03/27/2008, -0/+4OK, I like the feel-good feeling that Extreme Home Makeover gives me that requires me to only park me ass on a sofa for an hour. Occasionally two hours if they are really pimping that house.
      • norman619, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2How is this an "injustice?"
  • Ivalen, on 03/27/2008, -14/+44 people is an epidemic now? Geez.
    • anagoge, on 03/27/2008, -1/+7It is if that's half your tribe.
      • qwertydvorak, on 03/28/2008, -0/+1it 4 is half your tribe, inbreeding is probably the bigger problem...
    • addicted68098, on 03/27/2008, -2/+3When you factor in the people who acquired ADD while watching flavor flav swim with dolphins it is a pandemic. Join me in my protest-boycott against reality TV!
    • ploop, on 03/27/2008, -1/+4In a small enough society, yes.
    • laasch, on 03/27/2008, -1/+5"the epidemiologic definition of an epidemic is an increase in the occurrence of a disease above its baseline level" - http://tinyurl.com/3bnamq (not rickroll)

      I've heard of 1% rate of infection be described as epidemic by a biologist. The link above actually tackles "what is an epidemic?". If there are(were) 400 members of the tribe and 4 died from the flu, that would look like an epidemic to me.
      • WhatInThe42o, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1I had the same question as the OP here, and you've done an awesome job of answering it. Thank you.
  • bigpeeler, on 03/27/2008, -12/+6"It's called progress, you heathens. Now check out our new i-Phones."
  • jerrolds, on 03/27/2008, -1/+20i will forever hate Survivor for ruining TV.
    • XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, on 03/27/2008, -6/+1one hour a week on a specific channel
      • pintomp3, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2much like a deadly virus, reality tv spreads.
      • brianara3, on 03/27/2008, -0/+0... That has now turned in to (just a short list) - The Hills, The Bachelor(et), Your Momma Can't Dance, Real World/Road Rules, The Girls Next Door, Survivorman... and it just keeps going. They even have reality tv on the food network!
    • WhatInThe42o, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Real World on MTV came out much earlier. If you're going to hate a show for 'ruining TV,' at least try to hate one that was at the root of the problem.
  • momsshizzle, on 03/27/2008, -7/+1That's hot.
  • chrissku, on 03/27/2008, -1/+5Reality TV is full of stupid people. I'm sure if they had a chance to film in the area they would have spread a host of std's to the tribe as well.
  • hubbard67, on 03/27/2008, -5/+4anyone else as proud as i am to be a westerner?
  • Sputs, on 03/27/2008, -2/+8At least they died for a reason, i mean, reality TV is important
  • IdevInull, on 03/27/2008, -14/+3Cannibals dying is bad...why?
  • Sirocco, on 03/27/2008, -1/+3Good news, antibodies!
  • irvin666, on 03/27/2008, -8/+1strange that were immune to it.

    Us whities are immune to such nasty diseases....and happen to carry it.
    • gak001, on 03/27/2008, -0/+6Do a little research on immunology.
    • Impeller, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3And "stupid commenting".
    • WhatInThe42o, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2Life isn't all about blacks and whites, jackass. It's usually more shades of gray . . . just like the title bar of your comment, now. Buried for not even being able to troll properly.
  • andreyx108, on 03/27/2008, -4/+0i bet they spread the virus on purpose :) sent 'em all back home :)
  • SAc0balt, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1So if the crew denies visiting or even meeting that tribe, how is it they knew of a TV crew? Are there numerous roving bands of television producers and crewmen wandering the jungles in that area? Did a neighboring tribe email or send a txt msg to the afflicted tribe and tell them of the visit and that they should fake illness and land a nice big lawsuit? Are there tribal courts where cases can be presented?
    • phosphodyson, on 03/27/2008, -0/+0If you read the story carefully, you would have noted that the crew was inquiring about remote villages in the area. News of a film crew in the area would have spread around. Also, we have no evidence that anything occurred, only anecdotal evidence from the guide. This is an exceedingly shaky story, and if it wasn't sensationalist it would've never passed journalistic muster.
  • slayernine, on 03/27/2008, -2/+4Yes they messed up, 4 people died. Moving on to something more relevant now.... like the thousands of people that starve to death every day.
    • Sbebo, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3That isn't the point. The point is that the crew was warned that their presence in such a remote area could harm the tribes, but they went anyways, just to get a better reality "show". If the crew simply listened and followed the "rules", no one would have died, nor would have gotten seriously sick as they are now.
    • WraTH017, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2You don't care about the thousands of people that starve to death every day. How can you, if you don't even care about these four?

      How about next time you don't care about a certain topic you just stay out of it? This isn't a fluff story on some stupid celebrity... It is not irrelevant.
  • CrazedLeper, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1I won't suggest they did this by coughing into blankets like the infamous method used to exterminate the Native Americans but now that they appear to be vulnerable I can see this 'mysteriously' happening again. And again.
  • DeviateSeptum, on 03/27/2008, -0/+4A key piece of information is if either of the crewmembers were sick during or right before or after their visit.
  • gak001, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1Fail.
  • SteelChicken, on 03/27/2008, -5/+2so if the crew visits the jungle and gets lethal mud butt, whose fault is it?
    (if terrible thing happens in 3rd world) then fault = whiteys
  • wayback09, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1First the flu, next they show them some British comedy (humour)...
  • bossm4n, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3Going Tribal is actually an excellent show and it's a bit misleading to hang a "Reality TV" moniker on it. I put it more in league with Survivorman than Survivor. I would go as far to say these shows have more in common with documentaries than Reality TV. It's really no different than National Geographic going to an area like this to film it. It's quite unfortunate, and this is probably not the first time something like this has happened--probably won't be the last.
  • moxley, on 03/27/2008, -5/+4ahem...

    Dear Tribes of the Amazon,

    We, the enlighted peoples of the Western world, hereby grant you permission to maim, kill, disembowel, or use in ritual sacrifice (especially that shrunken head business) any westerners who come to your tribal lands with the intent of filming "Reality TV."

    Please note that this does not apply to most westerners, or even most westerners with cameras. You will be able to tell reality TV producers and contestants by their rude behavior, lack of interest, and general ignorance of the earth and your culture.

    In liu of killing the contestants/participants, we would also accept them being dosed by your shaman with large doses of Ayuhausca and filmed - however, the producers should definitely die.

    Thank you...

    (And by the way, recent events have told us that you all may have had it right all along).
  • lhbaker, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2No disrespect for the lives lost, but here's hoping it wasn't the other way around; where a villager passed a new strain of flu to the crew member. That would be really, really bad.
  • lumargin, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1sad.....mmm
  • Pix869, on 03/27/2008, -2/+6Wait, how does unwittingly carrying a disease make you evil? I realize that most of you hate reality TV, but that's no reason to treat these men like the devil for something that was a complete accident and has been happening for centuries.
    • doctechnical, on 03/27/2008, -3/+2When you were warned of the risks and ignored the warning. I'd say that pretty much puts the needle into the "evil" zone.
  • IronDonut, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2Didn't the Brits do this to the American Indians when they came over here? And the Spanish to the Aztecs?

    It turned out to be a inadvertent but very effective biological weapon if I read the history right.
  • davidg11, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Am I the only one envisioning the beginning scene of Indiana Jones? "START THE ENGINE!"
  • protodon, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1I hate Mark and Ollie: "Hey we want to make a spectacle of primitive secluded tribes who are minding their own business and have need seen white people or technology before just because we can!"
  • wowsah156, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1The production company needs to take responsibility for its actions.
    • chall2001, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2Should we wait and see if the allegations are true or would that take to long?
  • tehgoatman, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1in ur communitiez circumventing your immunitiez
  • Nbonez5, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Reality TV - Ruining culture and tradition to dumben its viewers
  • some4less, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Yo soy Peruano y esto es una trajedia que pudo ser evitada.
    I from Peru and this tragedy could be prevented. I feel angry because the camera crew were warned about the risk of passing the a disease. And the saddest part is that they wont take responsibility for their actions and were only there to make money.
    PLEASE DIGG THIS STORY
    POR FAVOR DIGG ESTA HISTORIA
    • phosphodyson, on 03/27/2008, -0/+0Uhm, you have no direct evidence that anybody died, much less that they were killed by a flu caught from foreigners. Before you start accusing people there is a thing in modern society called a "standard of proof." Bring out the bodies and let's do an autopsy before we start condemning people.
  • Cornrider, on 03/28/2008, -0/+1Who is the savage? Wankers!
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.