Note (08JUN2026): Reports about Hanta-virus, where have you gone? Such reports have been replaced by reports about the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus now prevalent and spreading in the region of the Congo. Curious how epidemics of virus-induced illnesses come then go. Some, when they come, can be devastating. In that regard, we humans are particularly susceptible to infections from rapidly mutating RNA-coded viruses, such as those that cause influenza and Ebola.
In a few days, the World Cup begins with millions of foreigners visiting North America. Given a possible 21-day period of incubation for Ebola to present as an infection, how many, if any, of these millions will be carrying the virus? Given an initial outbreak in Mexico, say, what then?
“I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!
Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.” -Revelation 6:8
Excerpt from the novel, Retribution Fever:
Quietly. Very quietly, it began its travel from sub-Saharan Africa, a travel unnoticed. Its vehicle? An American engineer in his late thirties who had been working as an independent contractor for two years in “the bush” on a petroleum-related project owned and operated by a rapidly expanding, Chinese corporation financed by the proceeds from exports to these United States of America and other countries; yet, itself deeply in debt and about to collapse after the First Fury.
Early one morning in a small, African village, the American’s houseboy had arrived with a parrot in a cage. Proudly, the boy showed his newly-acquired prize to the engineer.
The following day, the American’s African tour had ended. Time to return home to wife and three children. He eagerly departed the village for the airport at the capital; apparently healthy, unaware of the single strands of RNA multiplying unchecked within him.
-End-
In 1949, the songstress, Doris Day, recorded the tune, Again. The lyrics read “this is a once in a lifetime”.
Well, guess what? “Plague” (Biblical), otherwise known as “pandemic” (secular), might not be “once in a lifetime”. During the 20th-century, whereas a multitude of epidemics occurred here, there, and everywhere, only a single, truly severe, global plague killed more than one million victims, mainly younger. That plague known as “Spanish Flu” occurred in 1918 caused by viral influenza Type A. Older individuals who survived the influenza of 1889-90 appeared resistant to the plague of influenza of 1918.
After “Spanish Flu”, a century passed. Then, in 2019, human malfeasance caused the next severe, global plague, known as CoViD-19, a mere seven years ago. The pathogenic virus (SARS-2), however, was a man-made, gain-of-function pathogen concocted in a laboratory in Wuhan China and financed by an American miscreant, one Dr. Anthony Fauci, using American taxpayers’ money. Any civilized society would have arrested the miserable miscreant then tried, convicted, and shot him. Late to the game, an investigation recently may have begun of his murderous malfeasance. Whatever the outcome, consider President Xi of China sitting with a big smile and amusing himself by repeating, “Thanks to Fauci, I murdered a million Americans and got away with it.”
Meanwhile . . .
“The single biggest threat to man’s continued dominance on the planet is the virus.” -Joshua Lederberg, PhD (1925-2008)
A more recent and still current but seemingly fading, potential threat to inflict plague again upon the world is Andes, one of the variants of the Hanta-virus and the most virulent in that it transmits itself from human to human attacking the lungs.
Good news, however, for owners of pets! Cats and dogs do not appear to harbor the Hanta-virus.
Bad news, nevertheless, for us all! The World Health Organization just has characterized our old viral enemy, Ebola, as a global threat to health. Yes, again! Worse! Waiting in the wings lurks “Disease X” predicted to cause a mass extinction of the human species. Exactly what? Exactly when? Nobody knows.
As for Hanta, scientists have identified a number of other variants. Like SARS-2, these variants are RNA-viruses; thus, capable of rapid, frequent mutations. There is no preventive vaccine nor any curative or palliative treatment for an infection; only supportive care; known mortality may be 50% or higher. Scary? You bet!
So, should plague appear again, what’s a nation to do? Repeat the mistakes made during CoViD by Presidents Trump then Biden? Possibly. Hopefully, not.
Face facts, Americans, something many us are loathe to do be the facts unfavorable. Remember, folk*, those who deny reality doom themselves to a dismal destiny.
* Being a collective noun, “folk” already is plural. “Folks” is an informal, pluralistic redundancy, considered by some to be a grammatical error.
Context controls behavior. It will control our response to another plague.
The context of American society has devolved from paternalistic and patriarchal to maternalistic and matriarchal. In the history of mankind, there never has been a successful matriarchal society of any importance. Our response to SARS-2 was an example of the reason matriarchal societies fail.
www.nationonfire.com/category/culture/sex/ .
During the previous context of a patriarchal, paternalistic society, power-hungry politicians began to foist upon this nation, a maternalistic, matriarchal society in which most people have become dependent upon government, even illegal aliens. Why? Votes!
When a plague strikes again, these dependents will clamor for the government to rescue them. Recall how well the governmental rescue from CoViD-19 went with then-President Trump’s early and erroneous reässurances followed by his reversal called “Operation Warp-speed” to develop a vaccine. Vaccines require 10-15 years not 10-15 weeks, Mr. Trump. Medically, the consequence of this reckless, politically-motivated gambit to placate a frightened and demanding, child-like public was a vaccine more harmful than helpful; economically, the bankruptcy of hundreds of thousands of small businesses.
“Act in haste, repent in leisure.” -from an adage of the 17th-century,
So, what can you as an individual do should Andes prove more of a problem than it currently appears? Trust the government? Again? Trust Major Media? Again? Trust Social Media? Again?
What about rising above the fray? How? Therein lies the heart of the matter.
Trust no one else while keeping calm and carrying on, as the British said during the Germanic Blitz of May 1941. Acknowledge reality as best you can discern it then adapt as best you can physically and mentally. If religious, pray for others and yourself. Whatever the case, be skeptical of that which passes for so-called news.
Recall the following, Persian saying from the 13th-century: “And this, too, shall pass.”
One way or another, you can rest assured that this, too, shall pass. Then, plague again? Yes, again. If not Hanta or Ebola today, perhaps Disease X tomorrow. Even so, you have today.
So? “Make hay while the Sun shines.” -traditional, English adage of the 16th- century.