Mage Joan

Haakang explained the use of protective clothing to Qiao An and the others, and then took out a bunch of masks from the warehouse, which were also special equipment for epidemic prevention.

The shape of this mask is very strange. The long and narrow device on the face is like a bird's beak filled with sawdust, cotton and disinfectant. If the inhaled air contains viruses, the viruses will be filtered out by the "bird's beak" to ensure that clean air is inhaled.

Qiao An and the others are no strangers to this kind of anti-epidemic mask. From the Old World to the New World, infectious diseases may break out in cities and towns where people gather. The most famous of these is the plague.

This beak mask is the anti-epidemic equipment invented by the previous doctors. The "Plague Doctor" wearing this mask looks a bit scary. It is said that in addition to protecting themselves, it can also scare away those spectators who gather in the epidemic area to join in the fun. , Indirectly play a role in urging susceptible people to maintain social distance.

Audrey tried to put on the beak mask. She felt a little bored and obstructed her vision, so she took it off and put it aside, and said to the Walsung brothers and sisters: "I don't need to wear a mask."

Hakon nodded knowingly: "That's right, you are a paladin of the sun god. You are blessed and immune to diseases. You don't have to worry about being infected. Other people should wear beak masks and be more careful."

Qiao An thought for a while, took out the kettle, soaked "Tears of God", made a virus-preventing potion, poured it into the cup, and distributed it to his companions to drink.

With this potion, everyone will gain immunity to infectious diseases for at least the next six days. You don’t need to wear a mask, but you still have to wear protective clothing. In case you are infected with a virus, it is difficult to guarantee whether the virus will survive six days later, leaving a hidden danger of infection.

After changing their clothes, everyone rode to the woods where the hospital was. After riding along the river bank for less than a quarter of an hour, a tree-lined road paved with gravel appeared in front of it, and flat wooden piles can be seen on both sides of the road.

Everyone rode into the forest and walked out half a mile. The clearing in front of them came into view. Rows of black and white tents were like mushroom circles after the rain.

Sludler stayed on the reins, rolled over and dismounted, and said to Qiao An and others: "This is the place where patients are collected and treated. It is a hospital. In fact, we don't have any good methods to deal with the virus. There is no special medicine. Concentrate on limited magical techniques to treat, and if one is cured, one will be sent away. The patients waiting for treatment are isolated in a white tent. As for those who unfortunately died before receiving treatment, they are temporarily parked in a black tent."

Qiao An, Hailar, and Zion's sisters and brothers, after hearing her words, they turned their heads and looked at the clearing. After a rough calculation, at least one-tenth is a black tent used as a morgue. If you count it like this, the fatality rate is really high!

Qiao An noticed that there was still an open space to the north of the woods. There was a masonry building that looked a bit like a water tower. The thick chimney erected on the top of the tower was billowing black smoke. You could feel this building far away. Heat waves from the building.

Slude looked at him, a touch of sadness appeared in his eyes, and he explained in a low voice: "That is a temporary crematorium built specifically for burning the corpses and clothing supplies of the sick and dead..."

"Unfortunately, in order to ensure that the infection is stopped, we cannot leave the body or personal items for memorial to the family of the deceased."

"It's cruel, but to protect the health of others, we have no choice."

Qiao An suddenly felt a dry throat, resisting the palpitations, and proactively expressed the guess that he least wanted to come true.

"smallpox?"

"Yes, it's smallpox." Slude nodded heavily. "From the outbreak of the epidemic to the present, more than two hundred lives have been taken in Hegu Town in just over a month. This momentum continues. I don’t know how many people will be killed..."

Qiao An was silent.

Hailar, Audrey, and Holden looked at each other, and their eyes showed unconcealed horror.

"Smallpox" is a well-known infectious disease in this era. Its reputation is not inferior to the "Black Death". The epidemic does not occur, and it will be fierce at the first occurrence. The average fatality rate of infected persons within 15-20 days is as high as 30%. !

So far, the medical community has not determined an effective conventional treatment for "variola virus".

"Divine art" such as "remove the disease" can cure smallpox, but it does not enable the cured person to gain immunity to the smallpox virus. There is still a risk of infection in the future. It can only cure the symptoms but not the root cause.

What's more, in the natural state of non-intervention and non-isolation, an average smallpox patient can infect five people (the basic reproduction number R0=5)!

This means that when an infectious disease begins to break out in a certain area, the number of patients will explode exponentially. Compared with the rapidly expanding infected population and the rate of deterioration of the disease, it is impossible for most epidemic areas to convene enough in a short time. The priests and druids cast spells to quell the epidemic.

In addition to being easily contagious and having an extremely high fatality rate, the smallpox virus has a strong survivability. It can fight against dryness and low temperature. It can survive for several months to a year and a half on crust, dust and bedding!

In order to avoid the spread of the virus, the personal clothing and utensils left by smallpox patients after death must also be burned and buried. This is the basic common sense for epidemic prevention. It is no wonder that a large incinerator will be built near the River Valley Town Hospital.

"If it is really a smallpox outbreak, it would be incredible." Holden couldn't help but questioned. "According to the records of smallpox outbreaks in history, if a place is densely populated, the epidemic will soon start from the first outbreak. The towns in New Zealand spread to other surrounding towns and towns. Hegu Town is very close to Grizzly Town. Why has hundreds of people died of smallpox in Hegu Town, but Grizzly Town has not heard of smallpox cases?"

"This is a good question, Mr. Holden. We also suspected this. After a thorough investigation, we discovered that the smallpox outbreak in Hegu Town was not a natural disaster, but a despicable conspiracy. Someone deliberately spread the virus in the town! "

Slude's clenched fist trembled slightly with uncontrollable anger.

"How is this possible?!" Hailar couldn't help raising his voice, "Who would come here on purpose to spread the virus, isn't he afraid of being infected?"

"In fact, people who do this are really not afraid, because the smallpox that broke out in River Valley is a mutated virus that only poses a fatal threat to our Asa people. Even if colonists from the old world contract this virus, their symptoms are mild. Much."

Hakon said with a wry smile.

"Why is there such a smallpox virus that differentiates between different races?" Hailar shook his head again and again, "This is too mysterious, it is like a virus weapon specially made to kill the Asa people, I have never heard of it. This kind of thing!"