Fever

Posted on Mon 10th Feb, 2014 @ 3:41am by Commander Jasmine Collins-Keller

1,688 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/6

Rhiannon walked over to Nyx. "Lieutenant we have three more patients complaining of the same symptoms as the others. That brings my count to seven today and four from yesterday."

Nyx looked up. "I know. We're going to have to report to the XO." She shook her head. She was hoping there were a couple of isolated incidents but it was turning into more. People were getting sick, running fevers and she wasn't able to do anything but treat their symptoms and hope they felt better soon. "Let's get a report together and call her in." Nyx hated that she had to deal with Cara but this was important and it was a necessity.

Rhiannon sat on the corner of the desk with a PADD. "Okay so what do we have?"

"We have eleven patients, multiple species all from the McKesson so far, presenting with fever, tremors in extremities, photo-sensitivity, muscle stiffness, chest pain, and shortness of breath." She started dictating. "Patients have been isolated and their symptoms treated individually with anti-pyretics and anti-inflammatories for fever, pain, and inflammation. I've also started some of the more severe patients on broncho-dilators and dextrogenaricin for the congestion, shortness of breath, and cough." She shook her head. "I'm not sure of the incubation period just yet but it appears to be a very contagious strain of Asuran or Tholian Flu. I've got the Med lab working on the antivirus for both right now."

"I'll call the XO and have her come down." Rhiannon nodded as she put the rest of the notes on the PADD.

"Make sure anyone that comes in here, wears a mask; including you and I." She looked. "We'll take decon showers today and wear surgical scrubs whenever we're in the ward. Keep the patients isolated. Until we get a handle on this, I don't want to spread it throughout the station." She made a quick note. "I want the Mckesson crew quarantined ASAP. There's no need to spread it any further. Make sure the XO gets on board with that."


"Yes ma'am."

Taking the call Cara made her way down to medical a few minutes later stopping outside the doors unsure of the quarantine so she commed Rhiannon =/= Rhiannon? Im outside ... what are the containment protocols?=/=

=/=There are surgical masks in the cupboard to your right. Make sure the mask fits tightly around your mouth and nose. The patients are behind an isolation energy shield so as long as you stay within the office area you are outside the quarantine area.=/= Nyx would never risk an unborn child or anyone whether she cared for them or not. Life was much too precious to her. "Lieutenant Nyx is in the CMO's office."

=/=Understood=/= Changing into the scrubs Cara fitted a mask carefully over her nose and mouth before entering the med lab. Walking through to the CMO's Office Cara's eyes widened at the sight of the patients she passed. Her hand went to her belly as she wondered what might become of her unborn child should she get this.

The door slid open as she approached and Nyx was there waiting for her. "Colonel," Her tone was strictly professional. "Come in. Have a seat." she pointed to an empty chair. "You've read the report?"

Taking a seat Cara nodded "I have ... and I have already implemented the quarantine on the McKesson that you advised."

"Good." She opened her PADD. We had two more cases come in in the interim; same symptoms." She pointed out the window of her office. "At least two of them were in the lounges and stores of the Promenade..that means our people have been exposed. I talked to the CMO on the McKesson, he promises that none of the crew had symptoms before arriving at the base nor was anyone with symptoms allowed to leave the ship. There are twenty seven sick on board and they've lost four of those. All four were already compromised but it makes me worry about infants and elderly." Nyx was concerned by that number. "The symptoms resemble

"What about on the station?" Cara was wondering if they were going to have a full scale epidemic on board.

"I didn't think anything of it earlier, but the young woman, Maia Dalton, was in this morning with similar symptoms. However, she didn't seem as critical so I released her before all this started." She looked up at Cara. "I've already recalled her and she should be arriving here shortly. If she has this virus, we may be in for a very long haul if we don't get an antivirus in place quickly. I've got the Medical researchers working on it now."

"We talking full scale epidemic here?" Cara wanted worst case scenario pictures so she could plan.

"By definition, an epidemic is a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time." She stood and walked to the replicator, "Ice water with cubes...commander?" She knew it would be rude not to offer the woman a drink. "At this time, the illness is not widespread, nor have we got any confirmed cases of it in our people." She sipped her water and handed Cara her Juice before sitting back down. "But yes we could presumably end up facing a full scale epidemic - but I'm not ready to panic just yet."

"What do you need me to get in place ... just in case we hit a worst case scenario ... do we need to be thinking of quarantining a specific area of the station ... or the whole station?"

"We'll need to open an isolation ward on one of the levels. I'll need somewhere bigger than this if we are forced to deal with an epidemic." She nodded to Rhiannon and the nurses that waited outside the glass office. "I have my staff getting a list of everywhere the sick crewmen have been. We should isolate those areas now at least for twenty-four hours; close down the promenade clubs. I'm not sure we need to do more than that just yet." She hoped. "Ms Lantz can probably assist with getting the shopkeepers and club owners cooperation."

Rhiannon stepped into the room. "Maia is here. She's agreed to a blood test. I'm running it right now and the results should be in from the autopsied Vulcan from the McKesson soon."

"Thank you Rhee, let me know as soon as the results are in." She looked at Cara. "We'll know soon enough."

Cara nodded "Kids at risk?"

"When the results are in, we'll have more answers." Nyx shook her head. Epidemics didn't skip anyone. She knew that. There was no respite for the very old or very young. As a matter of historical fact, children and the elderly often succumbed to disease first. Yes children were at risk - including her own precious daughter.

Swallowing Cara understood what she wasn't saying "Should we be isolating the children who haven't been exposed?"

Colonel," Nyx was beginning to get frustrated. "We don't know anything yet. I need more time to figure out what is going on and until I do, we don't need a panic on our hands. This may be something I can isolate within a few days."

Cara sighed rubbing her forehead "Sorry Doc ... I'm not trying to irritate you ... this is the first time I've been through something like this and I'll admit I'm not sure what to do."

"You wait." She paused for a moment. "You wait for me to decide it is 'something like this' and then I'll tell you what I need done. I am still not sure what 'this' is and I'm not pushing any panic buttons just yet.."

Sighing again she got up "Very well Doc ... let me know when you have an answer and what you need me to do."

"I'll make sure you get a report as soon as there is one." Nyx nodded. "And in future, if you will address me as Lieutenant Nyx or doctor; I would appreciate it. I don't care for the familiarity that the nickname [doc] indicates." Nyx was glad that Devyn wasn't there to hear her. She knew she'd get an earful if he had.

Not trusting herself to speak around the anger that ran through her at Nyx's words Cara gave an abrupt nod and walked out.

Nyx watched the woman leave and put her hands over her face. Why oh why did she have to deal with this woman now...? She looked at the report in front of her. How was she going to deal with this if it turned into an outbreak? There was too much on her mind and she wanted to do nothing more than rock her daughter to sleep. Instead she was here and her daughter was with a holographic projection. Nyx lay her head in her arms to pout but knew there was no time. She was exhausted and wanted to go home and curl up with Suri and Devyn but she couldn't do either.

"Lieutenant Nyx?" Rhiannon called softly from the door.

"Yes Rhiannon?" She looked up to see relief on Rhiannon's face.

"The results are back on Maia...she is positive for the same virus that struck the McKesson; but it looks like you were right in the first place. It's Asuran Flu just a stubborn strain. I've admitted her into an isolation bed and sent word to her brother. We've got the antivirus coming for everyone and I've already sent a comm to Command to line the others up for vaccination."

"Thank you Lieutenant." Nyx rubbed her temple. She could control Asuran Flu, even a stubborn strain but she was no closer to going home to her daughter until she got everyone vaccinated and the sick settled into bio beds. But at least there was a light at the end of the tunnel. She'd have to make sure all pregnant personnel were isolated - thank the gods that Cara had been protected while she was in here.

END:

LT Colonel Cara Karikkar
Executive Officer

Lt Adanyxia Kell [Nyx]
CMO

Lt JG Rhiannon Szardos
Medical Officer

 

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