Mystery Illness Traced to Bloody Ritual Practiced by Muslims

Ashura is a bloody Shi’ite Muslim ritual where the men beat themselves to a bloody pulp. Muslims flagellate themselves and their children with whips and chains until bloody to lament the death of our former President’s namesake, Hussein. And they share knives, thereby bringing this new viral blood infection into Britain. More of the poison fruit of mass Muslim migration. Britain is lost, but why is this savagery tolerated in the US, considering that blood-borne illnesses are so hazardous? This should be banned as a matter of disease control. But it’s more important to adhere to and to respect the sharia and not offend Islam. That is the priority.

“Mystery infections traced to blood-shedding religious ritual,” by Mike Stobbe, Associated Press, March 13, 2019 (thanks to Wendy):

NEW YORK (AP) — Add self-flagellation to the list of ways to get a dangerous viral blood infection.

Researchers said Wednesday that they were initially puzzled how 10 British men had become infected with a little-known virus, because the men hadn’t taken risks usually associated with the infection.

But then investigators learned they had participated in blood-shedding religious rituals — cutting or whipping themselves — in Iraq, Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom.

“There have been suggestions that you might spread infections through this route, but it has never been described before” in a published medical study, said Dr. Divya Dhasmana of St. Mary’s Hospital in London….

The men were infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. Most people infected with the virus never develop symptoms, but some develop terrible illnesses, like a deadly blood cancer or a debilitating nervous system condition.

HTLV-1 spreads through breastfeeding, sex, blood transfusion and sharing of needles. Experts have estimated that up to 10 million people worldwide are infected, though it is considered relatively rare in the United States and United Kingdom….

One ritual involves striking the forehead with a knife and then passing it along to other men. Another involves striking the back with a chain of blades or other bladed implement.

One man said that when he did it, the blades being passed around were soaked in a bucket containing an over-the-counter antiseptic solution. But that is inadequate to prevent spread of HTLV-1, Dhasmana said.

The practice of whipping or cutting oneself has been practiced among different religious groups, most notably by Shiite Muslims on the holy day Ashoura. Usually only men do it, and it’s controversial even within religious communities.

Dhasmana said: “Our message is not ‘Don’t do it.’ Our message is ‘If you do it, don’t share equipment.’”