For weeks now, the mysterious virus, simply known as the "Black pox" has the Mu Draconis system in its iron grip and has spread to other systems. As reported in other News Sources, the origin of this Virus is more then sketchy but the USD was able to put together the puzzle and can now present the full picture of what happened on the desert planet Arrakes.
4 weeks ago, a unknown probe crashed into the territory that is known as "Wadi Emet" and was found by a citizen of the planet, not realizing that this citizen would become "Patient Zero". The probe contained vials, containing the dangerous virus. Infected with it, the person unknowingly spread the virus over the planet.
Only a week after that event, the Laandsrat gave out info about a mysterious disease spreading and that people should be careful. Only minimal measures where taken, thus the virus spread further. When the first people where send to hospitals with the black spots on their skin, high fever, coughing blood and other symptoms, it was Doctor Eliza Eaglefeather who was first concerned about this new virus and informed the USD about it. Other medical personnel followed suit.
Lt.col.John Collins, commander of the USM outpost on Arrakes reacted without hesitation and gave out orders to all personnel to wear MOPP4/HAZMAT gear and to take steps to prevent the virus from getting off world. Despite the Laandsrat telling people not to leave the planet, some did anyway, resulting in the Colonel to request a full blockade of the planet. The request was granted and only a few weeks after the initial outbreak, the planet was under quarantine.
The following days and weeks, the image was all the same: Soldiers of the USM wearing Gasmasks, full body armor and sometimes even power armor guarded the base, the landing pad and conducted patrols, while the Doctors worked to find a cure, or at least a vaccine to stop the virus from spreading.
The probe also was located in Wadi Emet, but was destroyed during an attempt to excavate it, thus eliminating all traces of the force behind it. However it is very likely that the probe was used to deliver the virus, making it certain that the virus is a Bio Weapon.
Meanwhile, the virus did spread after a ship broke through the blockade and other planets like Zenobia seem to be affected by the virus. At the point of writing, almost 2000 people have died from the virus and how many people are infected is unknown. The relative low number of deaths of such a deadly virus that kills you within a 2 weeks, is only due to the fact Arrakes is not densely populated like other worlds.
Taken from the Spice Report:
Dr. Demanjrick (formally known by her alias as Eliza Eaglefeather) is one of the formost authorities on the infection. The doctor was gracious enough to take some time to tell me what she knows so far. While the public generally refers to the disease as 'The Black Pox' due to the fact that the common symptoms include dark pustules which also produce a stain on the skin around them, the infection is caused by a virus known as the 'Saf' virus. Dr. Demanjrick confirmed that the viral infection is spead through aerosol inhalation of viral material from exploded pustules and also by the touch of those who have touched virally infected fluids.
Dr. Demanjrick advises that the only known way of preventing infection spreading is to cover all exposed skin and breath through masks that are able to prevent the inhalation of the aerosol particulates. She also remarks that several interesting factors have emerged concerning the virus: heavy spice users and the natives of the planet Araxes (who generally are exposed to spice doses consistently) seem to be immune from infection.
The doctor has recently returned from a medical conference on Zenobia where initial efforts into researching an inncoulation against the Saf virus have been discussed. It is well,-known that Zenobia has some of the best medical facilities in the sector and Dr. Demanjrick says that the advanced scans and monitoring of several infected persons there have been very useful in indication possible areas for research. She told me that in particular a regime of drinking a traditional native tea infused with spice seems to reduce the ease of the transmission of the virus and may also increase the resistance of some infected people to the infection. Dr Demanjrick is also performing final trials of a serum which can produce the antibodies that have been found to exist in Native blood samples.
Although the doctor was at pains to advise me that research for a cure is still ongoing, in the last few days there have been several claims to have a cure available. AR-Pharma, a medical research clinic based in Al Raqis, is already offering treatment that is based on the serum produced by Dr. Demanjrick. A single dose of their medicine costs 20,000 Solari which has prompted outcry amongst the infected worlds of the sector. Many of the nobles houses in Al Raqis have stakes in AR-Pharma and speaking for the governing body of the houses, the Laandsrat, Magistrate Al Jofar defended the pricing of the AR-Pharma treatment. The Magistrate explained that the houses of the Laandsrat have been heavily subsidizing research into a cure for the virus and needed to see a degree of return on their investment.
There may well be other reasons for the extortionate cost of the AR-Pharma medicine as there are rumors that each dose is distilled from blood products extracted from several liters of Araxi native blood. Other rumors abound of competing cures, usually based on spice as the main active ingredient. As always, citizens should beware of unscrupulous individuals profiting from the misfortune of others and offering cures which are ineffectual or even harmful. All we can do is hope that Dr Demanjrick's work and the AR-Phama treatment can keep this terrible infection under control and prevent its transmission further across the Galaxy.
End of Spice report article
The USD is currently working on its own vaccine and antidote to help the people on Arrakes. It will be freely distributed to the people and Nations that need it without any costs for them. "The lives of people are more important then profits" said Director of the Department of Health Gregory House. That move, however, will surely rise the tension between AR-Pharma and the USD. Still, this might be the only way to end this nightmare once and for all.
No one knows how many more lives this virus will take until a cure is found. The time is running out and we all can only hope for the best.
