Darah Fever/H18N5

Information
The Darah Fever is an H18N5 influenza virus which originated in the country of Indonesia when avian lifeforms passed it onto humans following a genetic mutation in the virus. The virus was first detected by the Global Influenza Surveillance Network when birds in farms were reported to have been dropping dead out of nowhere. Following the deaths of the birds, pneumonia cases started popping up all over Jakarta before the virus had made its way to Johannesburg and Shanghai. The virus had spread around the world in a matter of weeks, with the final result of the pandemic being 700 million deaths, with outbreaks continuing until 2025.

Symptoms
H18N5 symptoms can be split into 3 types. Many of the people infected experience the lung and gastrointestinal type, some experiencing both. The 3rd type is neurological. In the lung type, H18N5 causes a virulent form of pneumonia named Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which is then possibly followed by lung failure. Due to the shortage of oxygen in the lungs, cyanosis takes place, which is the discoloration of the skin (blue, purple, black). H18N5 can puncture the lungs causing several tiny holes, causing emphysema and also causes tiny air cavities to appear on the chest of a person.

The gastrointestinal form causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and unusual stomach pains. Internal organ damage can cause blood to appear in feces or vomit. In the neurological symptoms, patients can experience seizures, dizziness, memory problems, and in some cases, paralysis, similar to the rabies virus.

Complications
H18N5 has a variety of different complications. The most common complication among H18N5 patients is a cytokine storm, when the immune system goes haywire, and destroys healthy cells, similar to the Spanish Flu of 1918. A cytokine storm is very likely to young adults who contract H18N5 due to their healthy immune systems. Ironically, people who have immune system disorders are more likely to not experience cytokine storms. H18N5 can also cause hair loss, but the specific reason for this is unknown, and is possibly related to the rashes caused by the virus. The virus also can cause heart damage, which increases the chance of heart attacks or heart failure in the future. Another complication is the scarring of the lungs, which is permanent for those who experience it.

Transmission
H18N5 is as contagious as the Zika virus. Due to H18N5's ability to leapfrog from animals to humans or from humans to animals, making it common for zoonotic transmission. The virus also has the ability to spread from respiratory droplets, and is transmitted via coughing, sneezing, or even simply talking. A typical droplet can last 8 hours in the air, making it much more contagious. The virus is also transmitted via fomites, which are objects with millions to billions of virus particles on them.