Breegull Influenza

From RWP Wiki

Breegull Influenza (also called B1K1 flu and breegull flu) is an infection by any one of several types of breegull influenza virus. Breegull influenza virus (BIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in breegulls.

Breegull influenza virus is common throughout breegull populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from breegulls to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic breegull flu. People with regular exposure to breegulls are at increased risk of breegull flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.

During the mid-20th century, identification of influenza subtypes became possible, allowing accurate diagnosis of transmission to humans. Since then, only 50 such transmissions have been confirmed. These strains of breegull flu rarely pass from human to human. Symptoms of zoonotic breegull flu in humans are abstract to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely sore eyes, sore fingers and the reanimation into claw-like hands^[1].

2009 Outbreak

In late June 2009, the Rare Witch Project was confirmed with cases of breegull flu (B1K1 strain) in the form of viral award transmission. The virus was first spread (as an unknown award) by a gimmick account called "Sniffles", created by Mandy. The way the virus spreads is by a "virus rating" for each thread which changes when users post in the thread. This rating, combined with a bit of random chance, determines whether or not a person will become infected by posting in a thread.

By August 2009, almost all of the active Rare Witch Project community were sufferers of the disease.