Chapter 567: Cholera 1
Zoe scurried over to Rhys Chase, tugging on the hem of his clothes and pointing at the door. "Mr. Chase, there’s a beautiful lady looking for you. I told her to come in, but she wouldn’t. She said she had something important to discuss."
Rhys Chase glanced at the door. He had a feeling he knew who it was. After excusing himself to the group, he got up and walked out.
"Liam, do you know who that woman outside is?"
Of course, Liam Sterling knew. "That’s Lynn Pierce. She’s a brilliant medical expert."
Everyone’s eyes lit up with gossip, but with Rhys Chase having just left and Liam Sterling still there, no one dared to ask too many questions.
"The lady has long hair and fair skin. She’s really pretty, a true beauty," Zoe said. As soon as she finished, both Wyatt Vaughn and Wendy turned to look at her.
"Isn’t Miss Wendy pretty?"
"Isn’t Mommy pretty?"
Zoe pressed her lips together. She looked at Ronan Kendrick. "Ronan Kendrick is the most handsome."
Her comment made everyone laugh.
After Rhys Chase left, they didn’t see him again for another week.
The base’s greenhouses were now planted with vegetables and wheat. Grass and tree seeds had been scattered over the surrounding wasteland. As soon as the plants sprouted, the oxygen deprivation problem would be solved.
Rhys Chase looked unwell. He clearly hadn’t been resting properly for the past few days. Unlike Ronan Kendrick, he didn’t have a superior self-healing ability, and the dark circles under his eyes were severe.
"Ronan, Evelyn, I need to get some medicinal herbs. There’s a suspected cholera outbreak in the base. The hospital is running further tests, and the pharmaceutical factory needs to produce medication to combat it."
Evelyn Ford hadn’t expected a cholera outbreak at a time like this. She and Ronan followed Rhys Chase to the warehouse, where she took out some of the medicinal herbs she had stored in her space.
Cholera has early, middle, and late stages, with different medications required for each.
Cholera is an acute infectious disease with a rapid onset and fast transmission, primarily characterized by diarrhea and vomiting. Before the apocalypse, millions of people worldwide were infected with cholera each year, and tens of thousands died from it.
Evelyn Ford tried her best to recall the proper treatment for cholera. ’Antibiotics, oral rehydration solutions, berberine, levofloxacin, doxycycline, montmorillonite powder... all of these should work.’ However, the base likely couldn’t develop so many different drugs on short notice. Evelyn had visited the pharmaceutical factory before; since the base’s establishment, most of the medication they produced was for external injuries.
"Has the base’s water supply been tested? What about the fruits and vegetables? People only get infected by consuming water and food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae."
Evelyn Ford suddenly thought of something. "Because the base has Solar Lamps, many of the small birds that left to find new habitats have returned. These birds might have traveled to other regions or countries. If they were infected with cholera, their droppings could contaminate the water supply or vegetables. Once consumed by humans, it could lead to infection. Cholera spreads incredibly fast. For every confirmed case, there could be dozens, or even hundreds, of potential latent cases."
Hearing Evelyn’s analysis, Rhys Chase’s expression grew even more solemn.
"I’ll have someone test the base’s water supply and produce immediately."
Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick put on their masks. After leaving the warehouse, they took a detour to the base hospital.
The hospital was still overflowing. Seeing a doctor at the base hospital required a deduction of work points, but the medicine itself was cheap. Unless surgery was needed, minor ailments like headaches and fevers didn’t cost many points. ’As expected of an officially managed base, it’s quite humane,’ Evelyn thought. She remembered her time working in the medical building at Wyrmrest Base, where the points policy was extremely harsh. A single doctor’s visit could wipe out half a month’s worth of points.
Evelyn Ford took one of her special pills. Ronan Kendrick didn’t need one; his constitution was so robust that cholera couldn’t possibly infect him.
As they entered the hospital, they were met with waves of agonized wails. The hospital lobby was lined with trash cans, and every patient was clutching one, vomiting.
The smell was indescribable. Evelyn couldn’t hold her breath for long, and despite her mask, the stench still seeped into her nostrils.
Outside the hospital was a public restroom. The line to use it stretched all the way to the entrance, with everyone clutching their stomachs, their faces twisted in agony.
Evelyn Ford paced around the consultation room entrance. Due to the incomplete medicine supply, the doctors weren’t prescribing anything particularly effective. Two nurses came out pushing a large pot. The medicinal smell from it was potent, likely containing a lot of Coptis root, and it smelled bitter.
"Time for the communal medicine! Everyone, line up! One bowl per person!"
Following them were two other nurses pushing a cart laden with masks.
"We’re handing out masks! Come get a mask! Don’t spit on the ground! Do not take the disposable plastic cups with you. Wash your hands frequently and maintain good hygiene."
...
After looking around, the two of them headed back. Evelyn Ford’s expression was grim. ’This cholera outbreak seems even more severe than I imagined.’ Fortunately, no one had died so far.
When they returned to their dorm, the others gathered around, asking what was happening outside.
"I just went to the cafeteria to get a drink, and I noticed everyone was wearing a mask."
Evelyn Ford told them about the cholera outbreak.
"A hundred years ago, our country had its most severe cholera outbreak. Two hundred thousand people died back then," Taylor Vance said, his tone heavy.
"Before the apocalypse, people died from cholera every year in most African countries. It’s more common in poor nations, spreads extremely fast, and has a high mortality rate. Now that medical resources are scarce, if a large-scale infection breaks out, the consequences will be unimaginable."
That afternoon, the base broadcast made a very important announcement.
The residential buildings were being converted into quarantine wards. All suspected cholera cases were to be isolated. The base would distribute oxygen tanks, masks, and the communal medicine, telling all residents not to worry.
"It’s one disaster after another. This is really leaving us no way to survive."
Annie fidgeted with her fingers, a worried look on her face. "Aunt Ford, is cholera very scary?"
"It wasn’t before, but it is now. Starting today, everyone stops drinking the base’s water. As for food, we’ll rely on our own supplies."
"Understood."
Evelyn Ford was anxious to enter her space and produce the special medicine. ’Aside from cancer, the special medicine can cure almost anything. I just don’t know if it will work on cholera.’
’What Evelyn was conflicted about now was whether she should give the formula for the special medicine to Rhys Chase.’
’The rights to the formula belonged to Quincy, so Evelyn couldn’t just give it away. No matter what, she needed his consent.’
The next day, Liam Sterling came to see them.
He brought very bad news: two of the patients in the residential buildings had died.
The base’s medical team had now confirmed it was cholera. The pharmaceutical factory was working overtime to develop various drugs, but the communal medicine could only alleviate symptoms, it wasn’t a cure.
Evelyn Ford found Quincy and told him about the special medicine.
"I’m not sure if the special medicine can actually treat cholera, but if it spreads uncontrollably, the entire base, and even Flumen, will be doomed. Quincy, I only have the formula for the special medicine because of you. Do you think I should give it to Rhys Chase?"
"Of course," Quincy replied without the slightest hesitation.
"The special medicine was created to save people."