Human Bloodborne Infection

The **Human Bloodborne Infection**, also known as, **Hemovirus A1,** the **Red Flu** and the **Red Fever**, is a deadly contagion of an undetermined origin responsible for the pandemic on Earth-6.

## History

### Patient Zero / Initial Sightings

The Human Bloodborne Infection's lack of a confirmed patient zero contributed much to it's success, aside from the time frame of geopolitical tension that promoted silence and allusion from real happenings to quell a panicking population. Many nations had both documentation on record of what is their respective patient zero within their borders, as well as first initial sightings and reports of similar symptoms. Reports range as far as originating in Seoul, Dubai, Kabul, Moscow, Paris, Toronto, and Augusta in the U.S. state of Maine. Reports of it being transmissible through various animals would come later.

#### Pandemic

Once reaching Pandemic status, HBI had for the most part single handedly contributed to a would-be temporary alliance between The U.S. and The U.S.S.R. in an effort to work on a vaccine. This alliance led both countries to develop their own task force solely dedicated to the prevention of HBI, of which the United States' would be the Agency of Infection Control oversaw by Medical Director Meredith Marquis and Associate Director Daniel Holland. Actions included the strategic placement of sanitary cordons & quarantine zones over densely populated urban regions with high infection count, construction of various shelters in case of emergency stocked with long-lasting water tanks and generators, burning of the dead, and the enactment of martial law. All of which proved to be in vain, as within the span of a year and a half after reaching pandemic status, society had gradually fallen apart at the seams. The A.I.C. had lost what little containment and organization they had maintained, Marquis taking the fall and Holland taking her position. Holland would later establish a bastion in the derelict frontier of the former United States, making a fortified settlement within the remnants of Chicago, which he had renamed to "Paradiso".

## Virology

### Transmission

HBI was confirmed by multiple medical organizations to be highly transmissible through saliva and hemoglobin interaction, with the slightly less agreed upon report that it is also airborne from the breath of an infected's lungs, and also that it can be caught from contaminated water. HBI has also made the leap cross species to wild canids & bears, with deer and sheep being asymptomatic carriers.

### Symptoms

##### Stage 1:

The tell signs of Hemovirus are very unsuspecting in the early stages, it receiving it nickname "Red Flu" or "Red Fever" from the fact that the first symptoms initially are flu-like.

* Fever or feeling feverish/chills.
* Cough
* Sore throat
* Runny or stuffy nose
* Muscle or body aches
* Headaches
* Malaise (general discomfort)

##### Stage 2:

Following a ~72 hour incubation period the virus's influence on the body begins to show. Previous symptoms will worsen to a degree where the motivation or let alone strength to perform most tasks becomes extremely difficult. During the evening fits of small, painful muscle contractions begin, and the start of a overbearing hunger takes hold. This is when the body starts to morph into a dangerous vector of infection.

* Small contractions of muscle & minor seizures
* Joint pain
* Frequent bleeding from the nose or eye, as well as swelling in the throat
* Pertussis (whooping cough)
* Severe fatigue or drowsiness
* Minor Light Sensitivity

##### Stage 2.5:

After ~4-5 days of initial infection, the body's symptoms would have let up in severity, giving an illusion of recovery. This is temporary.

##### Stage 3:

One week after infection, symptoms will make a sudden return with extremely high severity, leading to fits of pain and behavioral aggression and agitation. An advanced Cerebral Edema sets in, leading to sporadic episodes of severe muscle spasms and seizures at evening hours, and all together loss of lucidity. Parts of the brain that regulate behavior will lose communication following each spasm. Moderate to severe Hemorrhaging occurs, blood pours from the nose and eyes like a faucet, and has a tendency to leave the face covered in the dried blood. Finally, capillaries in the eyes burst, and no matter how full the individual's stomach is prior to this stage, a hunger so overbearing will drive the host to eat anything it can, acts of cannibalism included. Many of these symptoms will halt, but the extreme hunger and over production of blood will remain. This is the peak of the infection and is the last stage, the point of which the host will never fully regain lucidity, only rarely will there be brief temporary moments of humanity.

* Severe muscle spasms & seizures
* Advanced Cerebral Edema (swelling of the brain)
* Hypervolemia (over-production of blood)
* Intense light sensitivity
* Moderate to extreme bleeding from the nose, eyes, and around the lips
* Intense hunger
* Violent behavioral changes, development of permanent agitation & aggression.

## Victims

Of those left uninfected, only 382,000 remain.

* Jack Sawyer
* Isabelle "Bella" Carmen Sawyer
* Jason Kade
* Cassandra "Cass" Amy Sawyer