Outbreak! (Scene 1)

Narrator: Kendra is the public health officer for the quaint rural town of Mapleville. She walks into her office and notices her phone blinking. She presses the button and smiles when she hears Natalia�s voice but her face quickly tenses.

Natalia: Kendra, this is Natalia. I thought I should call you because you might know what is going on. I just picked up my daughter from school and she was so scared. She said her stomach wasn�t feeling well and that her diarrhea was red. She said a few of her friends at Harpers Elementary weren�t feeling well either. I�m getting a little nervous. Give me a call back if you hear anything.

Narrator: The phone rings.

Kendra: Hello, county public health office.

Nurse: Hello, this is Nurse Hudgepudger from the senior home. We have three seniors with bloody diarrhea. They are very ill.

Kendra: Well, please make sure they are well hydrated and keep an eye on their progress. Have the doctor check them and if they get worse, bring them to the hospital. Please keep me posted.

Narrator: Kendra has hardly set the phone down when it rings again. This time it is an elementary school principal.

Principal: Hello, this is Principal Hatcher. I have had to send five children home because they had diarrhea.

Kendra: Please describe those bowel movements.

Principal: They were very loose stools, and three of the five were bloody.

Kendra: How old were the students?

Principal: They were all in kindergarten or first grade. And by the way, we have had very high absenteeism in those lower grades the last few days.

Kendra: Thanks for letting me know. Send those kids to the doctor and keep me posted.

Narrator: Kendra then picks up the phone and calls the ER doctor in town.

Doctor: Hello, Dr. Fletcher speaking.

Kendra: Hi, Dr. Fletcher, this is Kendra from the county public health department. I�m wondering if you have seen an unusual number of cases of severe diarrhea in the last few days.

Doctor: Why, yes we have; in fact, there have been close to a hundred. We also have some children seriously ill with hemolytic uremic syndrome. We have yet to figure out the pathogen that might be causing this. And what could be the source of the problem?

Kendra: Well, I hope to get back to you soon about that. I�m putting together a list of questions to survey people in the community about risk factors. Could you please give me the names of the sick people? And could you please do some stool tests for possible pathogens? Thank you for all your assistance, Dr. Fletcher.

Narrator: Kendra hangs up the phone and begins to create a survey.

Kendra: Hmmm, I wonder what types of questions I should use to find out how the citizens are contracting this pathogen. I hope this survey works to solve the mystery of this devious pathogen.

Narrator: Kendra already suspects one particular pathogen. But this is more work than she can handle on her own, and it is urgent. Lives are at stake. She picks up the phone and calls the Super Crew.

Kendra: Hi, this is Kendra, and we have a problem. Get started now and I�ll keep you posted on any changes. Good Luck!

| Outbreak Home |
| Scene 1 | Scene 1 Questions | Scene 2 | Scene 2 Questions |
| Scene 3 | Scene 3 Questions | Epilogue |

Copyright 2005, Svea Closser and Maureen McManus.