[ 1st Arc: Covid-19 to Z-Virus ]
{ Year: 0 }
It was with a horrible sensation of his own body being bitten and torn apart that Abner found himself at the moment.
A feeling of anguish and dread flooded over him, similar to what he felt when his family fell victim to Covid-19.
- "Ah yes... the Coronavirus of 2020... how I wish I were still in that time... so... simple." - Abner thought as he felt his vision blur with an energizing sensation in his blood with each new bite and flesh being torn by the creatures' ravenous mouths. - "So much paranoia and effort for nothing, the first life I decide to save, and I get bitten by these abominations."
- "Well, at least I'll be reunited with everyone..." - He thought, trying to recall the faces of his family members.
"Thank you for accepting me back, I love you, my boy."
That's what his own father said before taking his last breath in the hospital.
A flawed man like all others, with vices and irritating flaws, but still his father, and they loved each other unconditionally to the point of supporting and advising each other in every situation, whether in minor situations of a son learning from life and his father instructing him with his experience, or when his mother sought a divorce and kicked his father out of the house.
"I'm sorry, dear, for all the harsh words I said when I lost control, I love you."
That's what his own mother said in her deplorable state.
The woman who always advised him, argued, and said horrible words, sometimes being wrong due to her paranoia, but often right out of love for her youngest son. The incredible woman who always helped and supported him in times of difficulty, and who was now taking her last breath.
"Sorry for being a burden. I don't say this much... but I love you, you idiot... Take care of yourself as you always took care of me, little brother."
That's what the third most important person in his life said to Abner.
His own older sister, the person he always protected from their parents' arguments, the one he always took charge of the household bills so she could finish her university and grow professionally, not having to bear any expenses. Even if it meant his salary was practically spent entirely on bills and there was never much left for his own leisure.
- "It was about time we reunited." - He concluded his thought as his vision finally darkened and his mind flooded with everything that happened since his family's death due to the pandemic in 2020.
== 2019 to 2020 - Situation: Global Pandemic ==
{ 12/08/2019 }
First cases: Pneumonia in a hospital in Wuhan/China.
- A time when we never imagined the seriousness of the situation... In fact, I believe our biggest concern back then was which Christmas presents to buy and which ones we would receive.
[ ... ]
{ 12/29/2019 }
Identification of the virus: The genetic code of the new coronavirus is released in China.
- After the holidays, celebrations, and Christmas cheer... do you think anyone cared about a "little flu" in China?
- Not at all, I was more interested in hitting it off with that beautiful blonde that Japa said was coming from Rio de Janeiro.
[ ... ]
{ 12/30/2019 }
Notification to WHO: Cluster of cases of "pneumonia of unknown cause."
- I think the biggest concern at the moment was whether this New Year's Eve would be filled with peace and harmony as everyone always wished for, or if it would be like 2018, where my parents fought, barbs were exchanged, and a lot of family humiliation took place, like in any typical family.
[ ... ]
{ 01/03/2020 }
Ministry of Health detects: Pneumonia of unknown cause in China.
- Brazil requests information and clarification from WHO.
- Okay, by this time I was already aware of the supposed virus, but do you think I cared? Like everyone around us, I was worried about bills and returning from vacation to my job at a renowned Brazilian bakery.
[ ... ]
{ 01/05/2020 }
1st WHO Communiqué: 44 cases of "pneumonia of unknown cause" related to the Wuhan/China Seafood Market.
- We were either too innocent or ignorant to be sympathetic to the 44 deaths, all we did was look down on China and its different eating habits from ours, barely taking into account their culture forged through a long history of struggles and hardships.
[ ... ]
{ 01/09/2020 }
Identification of the virus: The genetic code of the coronavirus is released in China.
- A very serious state that everyone should take seriously, but do you think we did?
- Of course not, as Brazilians, the meme factory worked day and night on the internet and social networks. I still remember the meme of Coronavirus-chan, a shy female version of the virus that would later decimate global scales.
[ ... ]
{ 01/10/2020 }
Monitoring: The Ministry of Health's Event Monitoring Committee is activated.
- I believe it was around this time that the rumor of a supposed World War III started circulating, due to the US government attacking Iraq.
[ ... ]
{ 01/16/2020 }
Epidemiological Bulletin: Ministry of Health releases the first information about what was known about the disease.
- Yes, it's war, folks... at least on the internet, which at first couldn't stop talking about the mess the U.S. president was making by launching attacks on another country.
[ ... ]
{ 01/20/2020 }
PAHO/WHO: Meeting to align the international response strategy.
- I only knew about this because my parents watched the news.
[ ... ]
{ 01/21/2020 }
1st WHO Epidemiological Bulletin: Moderate risk.
- Moderate risk, do you think there's any risk for Brazilians?
- Of course not, we made fun of our own misfortune, imagine others' because of the bat-eating Chinese.
[ ... ]
{ 01/22/2020 }
Activation of COE-nCoV: Emergency Operations Committee (COE) is activated at level 1 alert, no suspected cases.
- At that time, I was most focused on my job at the bakery and how I really felt I was enjoying this area amidst all the others I had worked in.
[ ... ]
{ 01/27/2020 }
1st suspected case: COE level raised to 2 (imminent danger) with a change in case definition.
- Okay, I admit I was a little worried here, actually... I'm a big fan of apocalyptic works and for some reason, this seemed very much like the introduction to World War Z.
[ ... ]
{ 01/28/2020 }
WHO CHANGES POSITION: Organization admits error and raises risk to "high."
- Endless discussions about whether this was something to worry about or not.
[ ... ]
{ 01/30/2020 }
PHEIC: WHO declares International Emergency.
- Endless discussions about how the Japanese were always prepared for these things, since they would put on masks at the first sign of a little flu.
[ ... ]
{ 01/31/2020 }
GEI-ESP: Interministerial Executive Group activated.
- Discussions about whether this could be a government ploy, since there was a supposed World War III about to explode due to the U.S. government's attack on Iraq, and how such a virus could be a response to that attack.
[ ... ]
{ 02/03/2020 }
National Emergency: Brazil declares Public Health Emergency of National Importance (ESPIN)
- First meeting of the Interministerial Executive Group on Public Health (GEI-ESPII) held.
- Okay, around this time, believe it or not, people came up with a third apocalyptic theory... that if in early January there was the coronavirus, and by the end of January a supposed world war, in March a meteor would collide with Earth just to conclude the process of global disaster.
[ ... ]
{ 02/04/2020 }
Quarantine Bill: Ministry of Health sends Bill to the National Congress.
- Teenagers were thrilled with the chance of getting a vacation right at the beginning of the school year.
[ ... ]
{ 02/04 to 02/05/2020 }
National Congress approves Bill: Legislature approves quarantine law.
- Quarantine, nothing... it's vacation, folks... just wait, everyone was euphoric.
[ ... ]
{ 02/05/2020 }
Rescue: Brazil carries out a mission to repatriate 34 Brazilians who lived in the city of Wuhan, China.
- Okay, noble act and all in the eyes of others, but in my opinion, bringing back 34 infected people with something that, to me, is unknown is not the best choice.
[ ... ]
{ 02/06/2020 }
CIT on coronavirus: Meeting in the Tripartite Intermanagers Commission (CIT) on coronavirus with state and capital health secretaries.
- I don't even watch the news, wasn't aware of it.
[ ... ]
{ 02/07/2020 }
Quarantine Law sanctioned: President of the Republic sanctions Quarantine Law.
- Ministry of Health and Fiocruz carry out technical training for representatives from 9 countries in South and Central America for laboratory diagnosis of coronavirus.
- Return Operation - Takeoff from Wuhan bound for Brazil (start of quarantine).
- In my view, this is going to be a mess, a big mess.
[ ... ]
{ 02/09/2020 }
Rescued: Arrival in Brazil of the 58 involved in the Return Operation.
- Hmm... not sure about this.
[ ... ]
{ 02/19/2020 }
Brazil: Presents actions to combat coronavirus during the meeting of Mercosur health ministers in Asunción, Paraguay.
- Brazil's already screwed in health and education, imagine trying to stick its nose into big things.
[ ... ]
{ 02/21/2020 }
World: Expansion to seven more countries on alert for suspected cases of the disease, in addition to China.
- Chinese are tough, they eat bats and everyone else suffers.
[ ... ]
{ 02/23/2020 }
Brazil: Repatriated Brazilians who were in quarantine at the Anápolis military base (GO) are released.
- They had the audacity to laugh at me and my paranoia about one of these people being infected and starting a zombie apocalypse, damn friends.
[ ... ]
{ 02/24/2020 }
Countries: Expansion of the list of countries on alert for suspected cases to 8 more countries, totaling 16 countries.
- The thing is getting scary... spreading like ants on sugar.
[ ... ]
{ 02/26/2020 }
Coronavirus: First case of coronavirus confirmed in Brazil, in São Paulo.
- The bourgeois, son of a bitch, had to travel to Italy and come make fun of Brazil, right?
- Oh, so we're all screwed now.
And that's when things really hit the fan, going from one to two cases in less than two days, we ended up with 132 suspected cases before February even ended, wrapping up the second month of 2020 with two confirmed cases.
In March: The number of confirmed cases rose to 13 and quickly to 25, with 930 suspected cases. The states with confirmed cases are "São Paulo (16)", "Rio de Janeiro (3)", "Bahia (2)", "Alagoas (1)", "Espírito Santo (1)", "Minas Gerais (1)" and "Distrito Federal (1)".
In two days, the number was updated from 25 to 52 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection.
In seven days, we rose to 234 confirmed cases. I have to agree that I saw a lot of people scared, but I didn't think it was that serious yet.
And it was then, on March 17, 2020, that the notification of the first coronavirus death in Brazil was made public.
[ ... ]
{ August to September 2020 }
President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, announces the registration of the first vaccine against the new coronavirus.
Russian leader assures that the immunization is ready and has been tested on one of his daughters.
The Sputnik 5 vaccine, however, is viewed with skepticism by the international community for not meeting Phase 3 tests.
In this stage, the vaccine is applied to thousands of people and can last for months. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that Sputnik 5 has not been approved by the international body.
After a period of relative stability, Brazil showed an increase in the number of deaths from COVID-19, reaching on September 30 the mark above 1,000 deaths, precisely 1,031 deaths in 24 hours.
The accumulated number of deaths until this period is 143,952, with a total of 4,810,935 confirmed cases.
On September 25, the country had already surpassed the mark of 140,000 deaths from COVID-19.
[ ... ]
{ December 2020 }
At the beginning of the month, the Brazilian Government finally presented the draft of the vaccination plan.
This will be carried out in 4 stages, which will vary according to the prioritized groups.
In the first phase: Health professionals, elderly people over 75 years old, or over 60 years old living in long-term care institutions, and the indigenous population will be prioritized to receive the vaccine.
In the second phase: Elderly people aged 60 to 74 years.
In the third phase: Individuals at risk of severe disease, such as those with cardiovascular or renal diseases.
And finally, the fourth phase: Teachers, rescue and security professionals, prison system employees, and the incarcerated population.
The Government of São Paulo announced the start date for vaccination for the population of São Paulo to be January 25, 2021.
In the plan, health professionals, elderly people over 60 years old, indigenous people, and quilombolas will make up the priority group of the campaign, with an estimate of 9 million people from São Paulo vaccinated.
And so, with a global pandemic and a cure for the new coronavirus, everything emerged:
Hope, distrust, the joy of the survivors, and the sorrow of those who lost loved ones.
All mingled in a pure chaotic state where wearing masks became a common act, as if it were an essential piece of clothing everyone should wear.
But the evil in humans was always present, for the initial plan from the top leaders above the presidency due to global overcrowding had indeed worked.
Now the whole global state was stable and they could return to normality with a cure... little did they know that mixing sparkling water with filtered water to fill the glass, because both are liquids, does not mean it would function normally as mineral water.
For this is where the greatest global risk was created, the mutation, the final villain, something even the leaders who ruled the world did not expect to create.
But I expected it, after the death of my family to the coronavirus, my paranoia rose to alarming levels, blessed with a good accumulated income that would leave me prepared for what the future would bring. While everyone was protecting themselves from Covid-19, I was protecting myself from the Z-Virus.
And with that, I conclude the first chapter of World Pandemic Z.
I hope everyone enjoyed this prologue; I wanted to bring a sense of reality to how the pandemic of 2020 was here in Brazil.
I kept the originality of the current period, with the fiction starting in Year 0.
I hope you continue following and give this work a chance, as I am genuinely enthusiastic about starting in the apocalyptic genre and moving away from the anime style I've always been attached to.
Anyway, I look forward to everyone's comments, and I really hope for ideas, as I am entering a new environment and don't want to create clichéd zombies that just crawl and bite.
Here, it's about evolution XD.
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Abner:
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Covid-19 Zombies:
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