Epidemic (part 1)

American Airlines flight 2393, connecting from Dallas Fort Worth to Grantley Adams International touched down in Barbados at  8:46 pm. There was a two and a half hour layover at Miami International and Margaret and her family couldn't wait to get back home to the caribbean sun and sea. It was mid October and the temperature was already 15 degrees celsius, and since Margaret wasn't a fan of the cold, she thought it best to cut the vacation short and head home. 

Travelling with kids is never fun, and Margaret had three. Hunter was 5 years old, the youngest of the three and a fire cracker of energy. He was constantly moving, singing, talking, and making his older siblings miserable. Riley was 8, and she loved all things nature and animal related. She loved the outdoors, a good book and was always first to rescue any insects or creatures that wandered into the house from her family. Holly was 16, and anything but what her name suggested. Headphones always on, phone in hand, black nail polish and a grudge against the world. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Grantley Adams International Airport. Local time is 8:46 pm and the temperature is 23 degrees Celsius. For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the Captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt sign. This will indicate that we have parked at the gate and that it is safe for you to move about. Please check around your seat for any personal belongings you may have brought on board with you and please use caution when opening the overhead bins, as heavy articles may have shifted around during the flight. On behalf of American Airlines and the entire crew, I’d like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice evening" 

The immigration and baggage collection process was pretty swift, not including chasing Hunter through the arrivals hall a few times, and finally they were on the Tom Adams Highway heading home to Prospect, St. James. It was a calm night, not a cloud in the sky and the stars and full moon lit up the sky. It felt good to be in familiar surroundings again, and Hunter could be heard in the backseat singing...

“OMG! Look at her butt, OMG! Look at her butt,” over and over again while playing with his cars.  

They finally pulled into the driveway about 9:45 pm, brought all the bags into the house, dumped them by the front door and went off in different directions. Hunter and Riley went to the living room to watch television, Holly went to her room and closed the door and Margaret, went to the kitchen to put on a kettle of water for tea. While waiting for the kettle to boil, she joined the kids in the living room, Hunter was running around in a shirt and no underwear and Riley was channel surfing.

When she got to CNN, Margaret told her to stop for a second, as they were still covering the Ebola outbreak in West Africa… but this time it wasn't West Africa they were reporting on… but the US, specifically Dallas!

“Weren’t we just there Mommy?” asked Riley.

“I’m speechless; I guess we got out in time… See why you should always follow your mind?” Margaret said nervously.

She made her cup of green tea and continued to watch the developments of the case in Dallas. The guy who was sent back home and had to return, the nurse that also contracted it somehow and the search for anyone who was on a particular flight into Dallas and anyone who may have come in contact with the first guy or the nurse. Margaret had known about the outbreak in Africa before, but as it seemed a lifetime away, she never really paid it much attention. She called her best friend Carol, to let her know she was back and to talk about the developments on CNN.

“Hi Carol, it’s Margaret. I’m back in Barbados and can’t believe what I’m seeing on CNN.”

“Hey, I’m glad you made it out in one peace, the world is in a panic over this,” she said. “Barbados has even opened a containment centre… but I don’t agree with it being next to a school”

“Next to a school?”

“They say it’s not airborne, but I watch enough movies to know the government never tells you everything”

“I don’t know what to do with you and these movies girl,” Margaret chuckled. “I’m going to get these kids in bed; we have had a long day, talk to you tomorrow?”

“Ok Margaret, but mark my words, good night.”

Six days later, Barbados was abuzz with news of its first suspected case of Ebola. The island was in frenzy, people were panicking and the media was having a field day. Chikungunya had already taken hold of the island, and the slightest cough had people thinking the worst. Cashiers wore gloves, people wore face masks to cover their nose and mouth and as the government tried to maintain order, protests broke out.

Some say the government should have closed our borders, others said the lost of tourism and international revenue would have crippled the country, and tempers flared as the once distant Ebola was now not only at our door step, but sitting down at our tables to have dinner. GIS started programs on radio, television and newspapers to educate the public.

“Signs and symptoms of Ebola virus disease usually begin suddenly with an influenza-like stage characterized by feeling tired, fever, headaches, and pain in the joints, muscles, and abdomen. Vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite are also common. Less common symptoms include sore throat, chest pain, hiccups, shortness of breath, and trouble swallowing. The average time between contracting the infection and the start of symptoms (incubation period) is 8 to 10 days, but it can vary between 2 and 21 days. Early symptoms of EVD may be similar to those of malaria, dengue fever, or other tropical fevers, before the disease progresses to the bleeding phase…” the announcer reported.

Margaret and other parents stopped sending their kids to school, cleaning supplies were the first things to fly off the shelves, then canned foods, as survival instinct kicked in. With no one going to work anymore, money lost its value… the earlier reports that the virus could survive on the bills didn’t help the situation either. People hid in their homes, glued to their television sets, afraid to step outdoors. Afraid that maybe it could be airborne, and also afraid of the violence happening in the streets… and then it happened.

The CDC confirms first case of Ebola in Barbados, and over 20 suspected cases. On this small Caribbean island with close knit communities it spread fast. The “only the strong will survive” mentality set in, and small gangs emerged killing anyone suspected of even having a runny nose. There was pandemonium, the government buckled, tourism industry crashed, people started committing suicide as the numbers rose from one confirmed, to 30 confirmed and 200 suspected in one week.

Hunter was the first to start showing flu-like symptoms, and soon the entire household had runny nose, fever and pain in the joints. No matter how Margaret rubbed down and medicated everyone it only got worst. The hospital was overrun with cases, the quarantine building the government built wasn't big enough to handle the volume and ambulances just weren't an option. Through the pain, Margaret got the kids into the car and headed to the hospital. Along the way there were burnt out cars, bodies in the streets, screams could be heard in the distance and gun fire. People even had road blocks to hijack anyone that stopped.

She finally made it to the hospital, and the place was crawling with nurses and doctors in white suites, and the army in fully riot gear, M16s at the ready and full face masks standing guard to keep order. As Margret dragged her body from behind the steering wheel and nurse rushed to her side.

“My kids… my kids are in the car,” she mumbled.

Three more nurses came over, two pushing gurneys, got the kids out the car and helped everyone to a hallway. There was a nurse with a clipboard, and she asked the basic information, name, dates of birth, symptoms, if they had travelled recently etc. Everyone was administered an experimental drug to combat the virus and Margaret hoped and prayed that she didn't wait too long before going to the hospital. Riley and Holly were already vomiting, and there were also traces of blood each time. Amidst the chaos in the hospital and the sound of explosions and gun fire outside, Margaret closed her eyes and prayed for her kids, she prayed long and hard and felt a tear run down her cheek.

When she opened her eyes, Hunter was looking at her puzzled… and so were the girls. They had finally stopped throwing up and it seemed as though the drugs were working, or maybe it was the prayer. Margaret wiped the tear from her eyes and smiled at them, for the first time since this whole thing started, it seemed as though there was light at the end of the tunnel, and maybe they might just make it out of this ordeal in one piece.

“Mom! You’re bleeding,” said Holly

“What’s wrong with your eyes?” asked Hunter

Riley just started crying, she didn't know what was going on, but she knew that was never a good thing. Margaret Looked at her hand and realized blood was on it, she couldn't think where it came from, or what she might had touched. She stood up and looked at a small wall mounted mirror, and realized that what she thought was tears all along... was really blood.

 Margaret screamed! A nurse ran in, and when she saw her eyes, she ran back out for help. The kids started screaming as well and a few of the other not so serious Ebola patients started to distance themselves from Margaret. As the blood started to now drip from her nose, the nurses came back just in time to see her pass out...

...to be continued