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| PAGE TWENTY FOUR |
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Kel said, "That's a relief, this summer there are insects a plenty. Glad they aren't a factor we're going to have to worry about here." Then he noticed the others watching quietly from where they were. "Oh. Sorry all. " He gave introductions to the rest of the room,.. "Everyone, this is Doctor Jamie MacPherson, head of the Special Pathogens Branch in Atlanta.." Roy and Johnny nodded. And so did everyone else but their uncertain looks remained on their faces, each looking emotionally worn in the dim battery light of the room. Dr. Brackett turned to Jamie's companion, "And this is her assistant head, Dr. Steven Taylor. These two are the people with whom I spoke this afternoon after we concluded your rescue call Roy..." The others didn't have anything to say, reduced to a slightly fearful silence by the frightening advancing reality of the circumstances surrounding them. "Gentlemen and maam.." Jamie said. "I know it's a little startling, having us appear like this, off a hightech, night flying helicopter, suddenly invading the scene in the midst of an already ongoing disaster. Myself and my associate are both geared like this strictly for precautionary measures. I'm happy to say it's been looking more and more that, whatever the contagion is, it infects only by direct body fluid transmission. So some of you who didn't handle Mr. Lopez may eventually prove to be uninfected. This mode of transmission is collaborated by the fact that the seven other Mexican victims have all have been reliably reported as having physically touched Benardo, as they prepared him for burial." Gil spoke up. "H-how do you explain Marco falling sick then? He arrived there much later according to Roy here.." Jamie cast her eyes down. "The boy's mother said he kissed Bernardo on the cheek before the casket was covered.." "Is she one who's sick?" Johnny asked. "I-- I mean, if Marco wakes up, he's gonna wanna know.." he said softly.. "Yes, Mr. Gage." Steven said. His suit crinkled as he sat on a stool at Marco's bedside, to read the chart Doctor Brackett and the paramedics were keeping on Marco. "She was still alive last report, as of a half hour ago." Miss Thorne timidly wrapped herself tighter in her wool blanket. "Is there anything you've found that may... prevent or slow this disease yet?" |
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"Miss Thorne, we can't treat for anything yet beyond standard life supporting measures until we know exactly what it is we're dealing with here." Jamie said. "The wrong medication or antibiotic could alter immunophysiologic responses and actually allow this unknown disease to run its course even faster instead of buying any time." she answered. Gil asked one more question. "Has anyone infected held up in the face of this disease? Any one recovering?" Dr. MacPherson sighed. "No. That's what made us tentatively classify this outbreak as a possible Grade Four." "Grade Four?" Roy asked, "Forgive me for being ignorant but I'm unfamiliar with that terminology." he said, trying to smile without nervousness. "It must be something my partner and I don't deal with in the field working as paramedics.." "So you two are the ones who directly cared for Mr. Lopez? I need to ask you a few more details once Dr. Taylor and I get set up here. But to answer your question..." Jamie looked up from where she was skillfully drawing a blood sample off Marco, even with her suit's gloves on. "That ranking means a germ with a very high virulence and killing factor, Mr. DeSoto. There are only six known illnesses in this category that we know about, that have rapid fever with bleeding with its onset. Machupo Plague, Lassa Fever, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, Junin Plague, and the last, is one newly discovered, the Ebola virus.." "Ebola...." Chet said with rising fright. "I've heard of that. Oh, man.. it wiped out a whole village in West Africa last year.. Is that what Marco's got?" Jamie raised a gloved hand. "No,.." she insisted. "This body rash doesn't come with Ebola. This strain's new or rare. All we know is that it takes effect very very quickly and that it is a hemorrhagic syndrome type virus. Most likely in the Flavivirus family. Also, there's every chance that this bug may be another mutation of Dengue Fever, in its stronger variant , which is only fatal 30% of the time. Of those, there have been seventeen types of DHF discovered in the last ten years." Cap blinked, "Ok,.. Just ah, what can we do here to help you doctors out? I know for myself I want to do more than just lie around waiting for answers." He had been awake ever since the helicopter's motor blade noise woke him up. |
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