Doctor: Picking Up Attributes in the Hospital

Chapter 562 - 430: Omen? (2)

"You’re back?!"Xu Man Ni saw Zhao Heng push the door open, completely unexpected, she stood up very excitedly.

"Yeah."

Zhao Heng nodded.

After changing into slippers and sitting on the sofa, Xu Hongdou asked Zhao Heng, "Brother-in-law, why didn’t you say anything about coming back?"

"The situation is special, I couldn’t send a message before getting home. But it was indeed beyond my expectation to come back so quickly this time."

Zhao Heng said.

"It’s good that you’re back. The news these past two days has kept me up at night."

Xu Man Ni said with lingering fear.

"Brother-in-law, do you think this Ebola won’t spread over here?"

Xu Hongdou asked very worriedly.

"Ebola’s transmission methods are limited. For now, it can only be transmitted through a patient’s blood, saliva, sweat, and secretions. So as long as proper isolation and protection are done, it is basically difficult for it to spread widely."

Zhao Heng explained.

"Didn’t they say this Ebola has mutated and might be transmitted through aerosols?"

Xu Man Ni said very worriedly.

"There is that possibility, but for now, there are no signs of it."

Zhao Heng said.

"Then how come there is such a large-scale outbreak in Africa?"

Xu Hongdou asked very curiously.

"Africa’s protection and isolation conditions are relatively poor, so an outbreak is normal."

Xu Man Ni said.

"Sigh, if this virus were to break out in our country, what would we do?"

Xu Hongdou asked worriedly.

Hearing this, Zhao Heng and Xu Man Ni didn’t speak, because the possibility isn’t nonexistent.

Like the previous Brain-Eating Amoeba incident in Jeju Island, didn’t the travelers infected with the amoeba bring the parasite back to the country?

It’s just that because the transmission method of the Brain-Eating Amoeba was limited, it didn’t lead to a large-scale spread.

Now, with global exchanges between countries happening so frequently, on one hand, it strengthens exchanges, but on the other hand, it also allows infectious diseases to spread on a large scale and rapidly.

The convenience of transportation is both advantageous and disadvantageous.

"You must be very tired from catching flights back. Go take a shower first."

Xu Man Ni said to Zhao Heng.

"Okay."

Zhao Heng nodded. Even though he had only been away for a few days and wasn’t on the frontlines, he felt it had been a long time.

The key thing is, Zhao Heng also didn’t know if his body, strengthened by the system, could be immune to an Ebola virus attack. Most likely it couldn’t, because although Zhao Heng felt his physical strength and endurance were strong, his immune system was probably just at a normal level.

If infected with Ebola, there is a high chance of going down.

Thinking of this, Zhao Heng gained a further understanding of the reckless capabilities of the U.S.-based research departments led by Dr. William.

In this world, who would research evolving an already untreatable super-virulent virus?

Before this, Zhao Heng absolutely couldn’t have imagined anyone being so crazy, but now, he knows.

Zhao Heng went to the bathroom to take a shower, while Xu Man Ni couldn’t help but sigh.

"Sis, you should persuade brother-in-law to avoid such dangerous work in the future. I think our current life is so beautiful, there’s no need to take those risks."

Xu Hongdou’s words were humanly reasonable. After all, now the source and core of their beautiful life at home are basically Zhao Heng.

If anything were to happen to Zhao Heng, this beautiful life would be completely destroyed.

"It’s not something you can just choose not to do."

Xu Man Ni shook her head slightly and said.

"If such a virus were to spread widely, no matter where you hide, there will come a day when you can’t avoid it."

After a pause, Xu Man Ni sighed and said.

In modern society, with advanced science and technology, and greatly enhanced communications and interpersonal exchanges, the downside is that during large-scale infectious disease outbreaks, there’s virtually nowhere to hide. As long as there are people, even if you hide on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, you wouldn’t be able to escape.

"Sis, do you think such things will break out in the future?"

Xu Hongdou was listening intently and couldn’t help asking.

Although there are countless advantages to living in a big city, if an epidemic breaks out, considering the population flow, the spread speed might be unimaginable.

"How would I know? But I certainly hope they won’t break out."

Xu Man Ni said. As a healthcare worker, when she was in college, she experienced one such outbreak, so she absolutely doesn’t wish for another one in the future.

But everything in the universe is cyclical, and every few years, at most a few decades, some things are bound to happen.

"I guess being a doctor is dangerous sometimes, huh?"

Xu Hongdou said with some emotion.

"Not sometimes, most of the time it’s very dangerous. In recent years, incidents of doctors getting killed or injured have been increasing. Sometimes I worry about your brother-in-law."

Xu Man Ni said.

"Brother-in-law’s medical skills are so good and he has a nice character, surely he won’t encounter such things, right?"

Xu Hongdou couldn’t help but say.

"Do you think the doctors who get hacked to death are quacks with poor medical skills? You’re wrong. Several of the injured or killed doctors are experts, leading figures in their fields."

Xu Man Ni said.

Although Eastern Hospital hasn’t had such incidents so far, who’s to say? Now the doctor-patient relationship is getting worse and, visibly, it’s not getting better in the future.

While Xu Man Ni and Xu Hongdou were chatting, Zhao Heng finished his shower, came to the living room, poured himself a cup of tea, lay down on the sofa, took a sip, and let out a long sigh.

"Brother-in-law, what should we do if such a virus breaks out here?"

Xu Hongdou suddenly asked.

"What to do? Staying home and not going out is the best way."

Zhao Heng said somewhat helplessly.

No matter what infectious disease breaks out, the best protection is not going out. As soon as you go out, and as long as you have contact with the outside world, it’s hard to avoid it.

But people are social animals, how can you completely avoid contact with the outside world?

"What if we run out of water and electricity, no food and drink while staying at home?"

Xu Hongdou thought for a moment and asked again. Although sometimes she likes to watch those apocalypse survival movies and TV shows, she absolutely doesn’t wish for such things to happen in reality.

"As long as it’s not a Resident Evil-level viral outbreak, water, electricity, and basic supplies can still be guaranteed. You underestimate our country’s basic supply capabilities."

Zhao Heng said slowly.

"Is it possible for a Resident Evil-level situation to break out? Everywhere turning into deserts like that?"

Xu Hongdou asked again, somewhat curious.

"No virus can balance both contagiousness and lethality. In principle, there isn’t a virus that is easy to spread and highly pathogenic. During transmission, viruses constantly evolve, usually enhancing transmission and weakening virulence. The ultimate purpose of virus evolution is survival, not killing other organisms."

Zhao Heng patiently explained.

"So you’re saying that Resident Evil kind of thing is just artistic exaggeration for the sake of the storyline?"

Xu Hongdou said.

"Yes, situations like in the movies would only occur in localized areas."

Zhao Heng nodded affirmatively, saying that the initial discovery this time, actually happened in New Guinea, was the outbreak of Hemorrhagic Ebola in South Africa. The outbreak area could be human hell, rivers of blood, but it may not necessarily affect a very wide area.

If a virus really evolved to become easier to spread and more lethal, humanity would have been extinct several times over by now.

"After hearing what you said, I feel relieved."

Xu Hongdou nodded, feeling at ease.

"Stop worrying about nothing. You’re an art student. If such a thing were to happen, just stay home."

Xu Man Ni looked at Xu Hongdou and said.