Chapter 27: Leisurely daily life during the plague (Part 2)
In the history of human civilization, any large-scale plague is frightening. Each time it will bring unforgettable heavy losses to the entire society, and it is even more frightening than war. In the history of ancient China, there have been many records of plague outbreaks, which were often accompanied by wars and famines, which ultimately led to the tragedy of the Central Plains where ten houses were empty and bones were everywhere in Kyushu.
In the West, there are countless horrific records about plagues. The earliest one is probably the Great Plague in Athens at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War, which killed half of the people in Athens at once, leading to the battle for ancient Greece. In the war for world hegemony, the brilliant young men of Athens were defeated by the muscular men of Sparta. Then, at the end of the reign of the Five Wise Emperors of ancient Rome, the Great Plague brought back from Mesopotamia by the Eastern Expeditions was said to have infected 40% of the population of the entire Roman Empire, thus ending the Golden Age of Ancient Rome. Next came the "Great Plague of Constantine" in the sixth century, which destroyed the dream of reviving the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Black Death pandemic in the fourteenth century, which frightened Europeans the most and seemed like a nightmare...
Even in the 20th century, when medicine was highly developed, the Spanish Flu pandemic at the end of World War I successfully swept the world, killing millions of people. As for the "atypical influenza" storm in 2003, most Chinese people have fresh memories - the smell of acetic acid floating everywhere, the masks everyone wore, and the quarantined schools and communities. The deserted commercial street... Under the haze of the influenza virus, communication between people has been reduced to a minimum. The feeling of loneliness, fear and anxiety is really, very uncomfortable.
However, the Chinese people may have to taste this unpleasant taste again for many years, or relive the nightmare.
——As a "Pandora's box" that once created a zombie craze and global desertification in another world, brought down the entire biosphere, and almost destroyed human civilization, even a weakened version of the T virus is enough to make the entire earth here. of coughing and sneezing.
In fact, when Wang Qiu and the others arrived at Vicha Village in Bodh Gaya and discovered traces of the T virus, this highly contagious thing had already spread through human transportation such as planes, ships, and cars. Tools began to spread crazily around the world!
——Imagine it. First, a few patients in Vicha Village pooled their money and hired a rickety three-wheeled motorcycle to go to the big hospital in Bodh Gaya for medical treatment; then, this truck I passed the patient's three-wheeled motorcycle and picked up a few passengers in the bustling areas of Bodh Gaya. Among them was a Japanese office worker who came to worship Buddha... When this Japanese office worker returned from traveling in India, his body was already full of dangerous T-viruses. These terrible little things were on his clothes and luggage. It's all over your phone, your phone and your laptop. So after returning home, he infected his wife and son with the virus, and his wife and son infected his neighbors and classmates... This was only slow.
Then, because of the temporary dispatch of the company, this Japanese man got on a passenger plane from Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles, the United States. Along the way, he chatted and laughed with other passengers and the beautiful stewardess sitting next to him, and by the way, he spread the T virus. It was everywhere... Halfway through the flight, the Japanese office worker started sneezing and had a runny nose. And by the end of the flight, he was already covering his mouth and nose tightly while listening in panic to the sneezing sounds coming from the entire cabin from time to time. As time passed, more and more people were holding their noses... When the plane landed in the United States, the T-virus from India also arrived in the birthplace of the "Resident Evil" game...
Obviously, the person who served as the vector for the spread of the T virus during this period was obviously more than one poor Japanese Buddhist. As a world-wide tourist attraction, even in the summer, which is the off-season for tourism (India’s midsummer is too hot) , most tourists from Europe, America and East Asia are accustomed to traveling in winter). In Bodh Gaya, known as the ancestral home of Buddhism, there are not a small number of tourists from various countries who visit and return every day.
Many people have been misled by some other series of zombie movies and believe that healthy people will be fine as long as they don't get bitten. But in fact, according to the settings of "Resident Evil", like ordinary influenza viruses, the T virus can also be transmitted through droplets and contact, making it impossible to prevent it.
What’s even more frightening is that the T virus is a super virus with an extremely wide range of infections, and the hosts it can infect are not just humans. Animals that can migrate long distances, especially flying birds, have also unknowingly become murderers of spreading viruses...
In short, the T virus is growing at a geometric rate in the small global village, but the vast majority of humans still know nothing about it. It was not until a week later that the National Institute of Biological Studies obtained a sample of the virus. Another week later, the menacing T virus has entered an avalanche-like outbreak period. From Europe, America, Asia to Africa, everything is in turmoil!
——Because this weakened version of the T virus has very similar symptoms and transmission methods to influenza, and under the suggestion of some people, international health agencies quickly determined the origin of the influenza, so So it was named "Indian Flu"...
When the "Indian Flu" first struck, except for the government of a certain country that had already learned the truth, other countries in the world did not take it seriously, especially Pakistan and other countries that had poor relations with India. The new influenza outbreak in India was reported in the media with a gloating tone... Even after learning that the influenza virus had spread to their own country, everyone was not really relieved. There were only more masks, disinfectants, etc. on the market. Some, most people still live their lives however they want.
But not long after, no one in the world could remain calm. Because, according to expert research, first of all, this "new influenza virus" is extremely contagious. It can not only spread through droplets, food, and drinking water, but also between people, between people and animals, and between animals and Animals can infect each other and can be called cross-species super killers.
Secondly, although the mortality rate of this "new influenza virus" is not high, at least it is much lower than plague, dengue fever, etc., it is incurable, at least it cannot be directly killed with existing medical technology. Yes, no matter what kind of antiviral drugs are used, it will not work. No matter who you are, if you get this disease, you can only wait silently in the hospital or at home to die. Of course, it is more likely that you will recover automatically after surviving for a period of time.
According to statistics during this period, the fatality rate of the above-mentioned virus is about one in a thousand, but if it is left untreated, complications such as pneumonia occur, or the patient is weak, the mortality rate will rise to 100% About five out of five, which is already a terrible ratio.
Third, this "new influenza virus" can actually cause repeated infections. According to common sense, most people who have had the flu once and recovered will have corresponding antibodies in their bodies and will not be infected again in a short period of time. But this is not the case with today's "Indian Flu". Many people just recovered from the disease last week and fell ill again this week. Relevant experts believe that this is probably because the above-mentioned new influenza virus mutates too fast. As soon as the antibodies in the human body are produced, the invading virus has already changed its appearance...
What's even more terrible is that when the above-mentioned conditions were discovered, the "Indian Flu" had already spread in all major countries around the world. Even if the entire India was quickly blocked, it was too late. Five continents were affected by this flu. within the scope of the ravages. No matter it is the northern hemisphere with high temperatures and scorching heat, or the southern hemisphere with severe winter, no matter it is the cool and pleasant Nordic countries, or the dry and hot deserts of the Middle East, no one is spared! It spreads almost everywhere, and there are reports of epidemics all over the world. No place is a pure land, and even isolated islands in the ocean are not immune.
Suddenly, the whole world was in chaos, everyone was panicked, and countless rumors and gossips spread. Masks have become the most popular decoration in the world this season, and the "Indian Flu" has become the hottest topic in public opinion circles around the world.
As a result, this summer has turned into a dark summer. Miami, Cannes, Cancun, Bali, Maldives and other famous resort beaches that used to be crowded with tourists are now deserted and closed. The big city that was originally bustling with lights and bustling traffic seemed to be cast in a gloomy haze, with depression everywhere. The once prosperous shops are empty, and the once bustling streets are sparsely populated. The occasional pedestrian is in a hurry - some particularly timid rich people have quietly moved away from the densely populated big cities and hid in the countryside. Even in the wilderness. In the city, countless shops closed and thousands of factories were forced to temporarily close or reduce working hours. In schools in epidemic areas, all classes among students and teachers with cases have been suspended.
The work of isolating patients was only strictly enforced at the beginning. Later, due to the avalanche increase in the number of patients, it far exceeded the capacity of the medical systems of various countries. It was impossible to isolate them, so everyone could only ask for their own blessings. .
As for the tertiary industry, it has completely collapsed. Restaurants, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, bars, dance halls, etc. can hardly continue to operate. Nowadays, even going out on the street seems like an adventure. No matter how boring it is, everyone would rather stay at home and be a homebody. Even if express delivery companies triple their salaries, they still can't recruit enough delivery people. At the beginning, many people went to churches or temples to pray, but soon due to the gathering of people, these religious places became the hardest hit areas for the "Indian Flu" virus infection, and as a result, they gradually became deserted.
Under such circumstances, everyone who had to go out wrapped themselves as tightly as possible, and wore a large mask on their face, with only two eyes exposed, and they also exuded a The strong smell of medicine often results in heatstroke before you even get sick - don't forget that this is the hottest summer, and several rounds of unprecedented heat waves are sweeping across the northern hemisphere together with the "influenza virus"!
Anyway, nowadays, the streets in major cities around the world are generally as empty as no man's land. Even the few pedestrians often fall to the ground with a plop while walking - half of them are because of the flu attack, most of them are because of the flu. Heatstroke from overdressing.
However, even if you wear a mask all the time and completely avoid crowded places, you still cannot completely eliminate the risk of infection. Because the "Indian Flu" can be spread through food. If the vegetable seller himself has the flu, then the vegetables he sells are likely to contain the "flu virus". Many people have been living very carefully, but they still get sick in the end. Most of the sources of illness come from this aspect.
But even so, there are many young people who are not afraid of death. They continue to wear masks to parkour on the streets, or wear masks to dance wildly on the dance floor. They also make their own masks into various styles, and even Paint or embroider on the mask to show your unique personality.
To make matters worse, the "Indian Flu" can not only infect humans, but also almost all mammals and some species of birds. Some rare animals are even in danger of becoming extinct. As for those poultry and livestock that are raised intensively, they are the hardest hit areas for virus outbreaks due to poor sanitary conditions. Animals obviously do not enjoy human medical conditions, so millions or tens of millions died or were culled in large numbers at one time. As a result, the price of meat in the international market skyrocketed, and various hot money and venture capital funds even more It is taking the opportunity to make trouble in the futures market - it is conceivable that in the near future, the content on the dining tables of working people around the world will inevitably become very sad...
On the contrary, all kinds of medicines for treating colds are almost sold out. The supply exceeds the demand no matter where they are. The prices are rising, almost one price per minute. They are rising faster than the best stock market. Many patients around the world are crying, their wallets are shrinking, and their hearts are bleeding.
However, even with some foresight, China could not escape the baptism of this wave of T-virus outbreaks. Although the government sealed the border early, the customs also implemented strict control and quarantine systems for the entry and exit of people and materials. However, after a week of strict precautions by the customs and quarantine departments, cases of the "Indian Flu" still appeared in the country, and they were out of control, sweeping the country like a tsunami. In just a few days, it spread all over major cities from south to north, tens of thousands of people were infected, and there were also deaths from organ failure...
For a time, there was an endless stream of people rushing to pharmacies and hospitals, and there were countless unlucky people asking for leave from various companies, units, and schools. The news network broadcasts emergency alerts about the "Indian Flu" from morning to night. The entire land of China has fallen into the shadow of the "cold virus". Every website has a national live map of the spread of the "Indian Flu" on its homepage. Cities with huge passenger traffic, such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou, were quickly marked as Shenzhen-Shenzhen due to the sharp increase in the number of infections and deaths. The color red is as shocking as blood stains.
Based on the experience of 2003, things like the plague cannot be contained by covering the lid. The longer it is covered, the more tragic it will be when it breaks out. Therefore, the government mobilized all the media very early and reminded the people of the country over and over again: Try not to go out during the epidemic period and try to avoid crowded places. Whenever you go out or are in public places, you should wear a mask soaked in medicine. People who are sick should wear masks to prevent infection, and people who are not sick should also wear masks to prevent infection. The house should be sprayed with liquid and lime frequently, or the room should be fumigated with vinegar. Suddenly, the doors and windows of all private places, office buildings, shopping malls, and banks on both sides of the street were closed, and every house exuded the smell of acetic acid or herbs.
At the same time, various agencies, enterprises and institutions, as well as grassroots departments such as streets, communities and villages, were also mobilized to organize the masses to launch patriotic health campaigns. At the same time, we collect various traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for treating colds and boil them for patients to take. There is currently no specific medicine for the "influenza virus". Whether it is aspirin from Western medicine or isatis root from traditional Chinese medicine, they can only clear away heat and detoxify. The effect is to help patients survive the virus by indirectly enhancing the body's immunity. But generally speaking, this kind of Chinese herbal medicine soup has no side effects. Anyway, it treats the disease and strengthens the body. It doesn't hurt to drink more. At least it has some preventive effect, which is better than taking a placebo.
As for the T virus vaccine that was just developed? Well, that thing has only been produced for a few days, and it is only in the laboratory production stage. Its output is completely unable to meet the needs of the majority of the people. If you want to carry out large-scale production, it is simply impossible without at least a few months. Moreover, the safety of the vaccine is not guaranteed. Human trials have just begun, and it is difficult to say whether there will be any undiscovered toxicity and sequelae. Therefore, even those big figures "within the system" dare not inject such unreliable things to test their character...
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However, although the atmosphere of terror caused by the "Indian Flu" has become quite serious in relatively developed regions in Europe, America and Asia, relying on stricter social control and a relatively popular medical system, the mortality rate can still be controlled at a relatively low level. lower level.
However, in the Middle East, where wars are frequent, and in Africa, where sanitary conditions are poor, it is already a complete purgatory of death.
Half a month after the virus broke out, leaders of dozens of African countries, including Namibia, Liberia, Gambia, and the Central African Republic, collectively appealed to the world for help, hoping to receive support and help from developed countries. However, since the whole world has been devastated by this plague, except for a few countries such as China and the United States, some volunteer medical teams have been sent. Most developed countries say they are powerless
In the war-torn areas of the Middle East, as the medical epidemic prevention system has been destroyed by the war, the tragedy caused by the "Indian Flu" epidemic is even more horrific - this weakened version of the T virus seems to be particularly adapted to the hot and dry desert climate. The infection mortality rate in such an environment is astonishingly high, creating an apocalyptic atmosphere of panic.
For example, Japan's NHK TV station had a reporter who was not afraid of death, and a cameraman who was also not afraid of death, conducted an in-depth interview with a refugee camp in the desert area on the border between Syria and the Kingdom of Jordan. Under the lens, this refugee camp covers an area of several square kilometers, and there are at least tens of thousands of refugees crowded into it. Most of the people were ragged and skinny from hunger. In the video released online, the first thing is a young man crying and screaming at the camera, looking very emotional. There was a mother behind her holding her dying child, with a look of despair on her face. Then several guys in uniforms drove by in a Toyota pickup truck, with corpses lying in the bed and flies flying on the corpses.
Next, the reporter interviewed the Red Cross volunteer medical team in the refugee camp. A Belgian doctor with a shaggy face was interviewed. In the camera, the doctor was actually wearing a gas mask and was obviously not even connected. I don’t trust masks anymore. Behind him was a large tent that served as a ward. Every bed inside was filled with people, and many patients could only lie on the ground. All of them were in miserable condition. Most of the specific symptoms were bruises in the face and bleeding from the orifices... …Some have nosebleeds constantly, and some vomit blood from their mouths. There were even bleeding from the ears... Almost all the patients were coughing non-stop, and some were coughing so violently that they even tore their abdominal muscles and costal cartilage.
In addition to coughing, they suffered from severe pain and fever. According to an interview with the patient, his head hurt as if someone was desperately driving a wedge into the back of their head. The pain was so severe all over his body that even the bones were about to break.
However, even if these patients are in such pain, the Red Cross volunteer medical team here is unable to help, because according to the Belgian doctor: "...we are very short of medicines now, and now there is not even one aspirin in the entire refugee camp hospital." None. Just now a mother came to see a doctor holding her sick daughter, and I could only give her a box of expired herbal tea produced in China as a placebo..."
Then, in a large warehouse next door, the reporter photographed an even more horrifying scene - layers of corpses piled inside the house, stacked from floor to ceiling like stacks of firewood. According to the staff, burying corpses has become the most feared job here, because close contact with corpses will greatly increase the probability of contracting the disease. For fear of being infected with the cold virus from the corpses, the corpses piled up in the warehouse have not been buried for a week, and they are all starting to rot and stink! This will obviously lead to the further spread and worsening of the epidemic.
However, the people in the refugee camp can no longer care about these trivial matters, because they are now almost having problems eating and drinking water - due to the plague causing the transportation system to be paralyzed, the truck drivers who originally delivered supplies here have fallen ill or Absent from work and hiding at home, the refugee camp has encountered great difficulties in the daily supply of food and drinking water. Now it has been forced to stop distributing rations for several days.
As a result, hunger and thirst further weakened the refugees' physical immunity, causing the "Indian Flu" to cause more tragic deaths in the refugee camp. At present, this camp, which originally hosted 50,000 refugees, has More than 30,000 people fell ill, more than 7,000 died, and thousands more fled. The social order in nearby areas was also in chaos. The survivors who fled the epidemic area had almost nothing around them, but they still wanted to eat and drink, so they began to loot shops and houses, and the people who were robbed also fought hard, resulting in countless shocking incidents. The horrific bloody tragedy... The few towns that could still maintain order had erected barbed wire fences and fences at intersections, and armed personnel with live ammunition patrolled day and night.
The only good thing is that with the "Indian Flu" sweeping across the country, the armed forces of all parties are no longer interested in fighting, and there is a rare period of ceasefire... But this does not make ordinary people feel very happy. Because the all-pervasive virus is far more difficult to dodge than bullets.
At the end of the program, the host in the studio said with a sad face that the brave reporter and cameraman in the shot unfortunately fell ill and was hospitalized shortly after covering the refugee camp in the epidemic area, and his life was said to be in danger. , so I hope all the audience can pray for them...
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PS: A long-lost complaint: Not long ago, Taiwan’s Green Camp Parade raised three issues that are very funny when combined: the first is the founding of Taiwan, the second is the abolition of the military service system, and the third is a call for the United States and Japan to station troops. Taiwan - translated as: First, we want to antagonize the mainland Play a duel head-on. Secondly, we noble Taiwanese will never join the battle ourselves. Thirdly, the American father and the Japanese emperor come on and fight a nuclear war with their blood and sacrifices for the founding of Taiwan... Hey, Taiwanese Bastards really put themselves in trouble. I think I am the proud son of heaven and think that the whole world loves Taiwan!
Then, according to a piece of gossip I heard recently, due to the global withdrawal of funds from the United States and the malicious speculation of some Nanyang Chinese businessmen, the Indonesian currency devalued by 80% in one breath last year, and the Indonesian poor were so angry that their blood was drawn and plundered. , the entire society has become a powder keg. If we are unlucky, another anti-Chinese riot may be around the corner. If you are planning to travel to Bali in the near future, you’d better be careful.
Finally, I quoted Kong Yiji’s version of the commentary on the Belgian terrorist bombing incident: The white-skinned pig blushed, with veins on his forehead popping out, and argued: The explosion cannot be considered a terrorist attack... Explosion! …Can what happened to Europeans be considered a terrorist attack? There were words that were difficult to understand one after another, such as "universal values", "freedom and democracy", "give Muslims a hug", etc., which caused everyone to burst into laughter: the atmosphere inside and outside the store was filled with joy. ——Belgium has exploded like this, and white leftists in Europe continue to publicly accuse China of violating human rights in Xinjiang...