“Why can’t these damn civilians stay calm?!” shouted one cop, scratching his head with his gun.”
Photo by David Muñoz
After the “GENTRI-5” virus began spreading in Southeast San Diego last month, government officials quarantined the area follow- ing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory. Much about the virus is still unknown, but a press release from the San Diego Health and Human Services Agency reported that the disease first emerged after a Utah family moved into the Emerald Heights neighborhood in February.
Initial patients reported symptoms of nausea, paralysis, and, in some instances, death. In the following three weeks, over 80 households contracted the virus. Experts warned that the illness is most prevalent in densely populated areas, such as Skyline Hills and Logan Heights. While many families have decided to brave the quarantine and remain in their communities, many San Diegans have fled the area.
“I’ve lived here my whole life; I just can’t risk losing what little I have over some white-people-measles bullshit,” Yolanda Sánchez, a family caretaker, explained. “The news won’t say it, but we all know those motherfuckers from Utah were white. I actually had a friend who met them before she got the virus — rest easy, Brenda. She said they were alright, but their kid kept coughing all over the neighborhood. I bet that’s where it came from. Damn freaks.”
Within five hours of instituting the quarantine, au- thorities reported ensuing infrastructural chaos. SDPD Chief of Police, Capt. Wilbur Porker, expressed the situation was “dire,” noting the streets “spontaneously” filled with potholes and cracks, water pipes burst, flooding apartment complexes, and small businesses boarded up their walls. The biggest casu- alties, according to him, were “the damages caused to the collective psyche.”
“I tried talking to some folks down by Alta Vista, and they just looked at me like I had the virus. They’ve become anti-social — mean, even. Surely the virus has something to do with this,” Porker agonized. A video later posted by @daygo_rapnews showed an encounter be- tween the chief of police and teenage boys at Plaza Bonita mall, where the boys taunted Porker, calling him a “lame-ass white boy.”
Porker and other county leaders have since called for Mayor Todd Gloria to step in and provide more aid to the affected areas. They expect the situation to reach “apocalyptic levels” very soon, as infected locals reportedly show symptoms of hostility.
“If we don’t do something now, who knows how long until La Jolla gets affected,” warned HOA president Cathy Pare.
Gloria, however, vetoed further aid dispersion attempts, saying that they “literally do not have any room in the budget.” He has, however, authorized increased police presence to ensure “hostile patients are dealt with.” Advocates thanked Gloria for his services, expressing that “this community is gonna need all the help they can get.”
When reporters interviewed locals in the region, testimonies differed from that of officials and outsiders. Many families dismissed the severity of the events, instead redirecting their anger toward the county’s response to the outbreak.
“Who said we needed more cops? Isn’t the whole problem people getting sick and dying? Did we forget that?” D’angelo Morris, a math teacher at Samantha F.B. Telegraph High School, said. “Also, half the shit that Porker guy keeps ranting about has been happening for years. I just thought some people got sick and we were gonna get more staffing in the hospital. That’s what our representative asked for — wait, you guys haven’t heard from our representative?”
The county has yet to give updates on the state of GENTRI-5. While reports of the virus have spread all over social media, San Di go has not initiated further humanitarian aid.
Destiney is an enigma, downright gaseous if you will. A being of many words, but little thought. You may find them listening to Sabrina Carpenter or spacing out in very unfortunate places. Know that they perceive you and they are only a little bit concerned that you dislike them.
