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[alt_frank]

Melania Ambak from Surrey is safe and sound, and on her way to Moddey Dhoo just as soon as she’s finished her nap and Poppy says it's okay.

we got into Waverly, even though it was a bit dodgy. don't think it would have happened, but a large group from St Mungo’s arrived right as we got to the gates so they didn’t look as closely at our paperwork as they would have, and they didn’t ask us for that bloody form.

we found the family, already home from hospital. took them a bit by surprise, but they seemed right eager to hand her over once we’d said our piece and shown them some pictures and letters. seems like everyone here was a bit jumpy, like they were waiting for something bad to happen – the Ambaks mentioned they’d been hurried out of hospital the day after Melania was born to “make room,” and they’d heard stories about the illness in other camps. I think that was why they were so anxious. kept asking me over and over again what sort of medical care we had available, what would happen if she ever got sick, that sort of thing. we told them about Stephen and Poppy, which seemed to help a bit.

lots of tears when we left. then again, there’s always tears at that part. but we’ve got her, she’s safe, and looks healthy. both her folks seemed pretty normal too – Mrs Ambak was still worn out from having the baby, but no cough or fever or anything like that. just to be sure, Poppy, I can keep her out here a little longer, or we can put her in the quarantine room with me when we get back for a day or two. I don’t mind to. she's nice enough company. she's even tinier than Tiny is.

Comments

[alt_alice]

Good job, my darling. I'm so glad this one didn't give you any trouble. We're getting everything ready now. The children are all quite thrilled, as am I.

What's the latest on Hertfordshire?

[alt_poppy]

I don't like the idea of your keeping an infant out sleeping rough. Take her back, but by all means, be certain that Stephen meets you and that there is no interaction on either of your parts with any of the others.

Alice, keep the children away from them.

And, Frank, it may be more than a day or two before it's safe for you to leave that room.

[alt_bill]

It's great to have some good news for once. I'll raise a glass in Melania's honour tonight, wishing her long life and good fortune under a free regime.

Let's hope we'll be able to say the same for Charles Vass in a couple of weeks or so.

Frank, Alice.

[alt_poppy]

I'm afraid I have some rather sober information for you.

I have had a conversation with a colleague at St Mungo's who shared that their teams in the camps have determined that the most likely means of transmission for this disease is via flea bites. Apparently there is quite an appalling rodent population in the camps, and all indicators have pointed towards a rat-flea-human-flea- model for the spread of this contagion.

Have you suffered any bites? I hope not. Certainly, you were there a short enough time that it is reasonable to hope that neither you nor Arthur has been infected. Yet.

Melania, however, cannot be assumed to have been so lucky, and if she is indeed carrying the disease, she could become a source for infection for all of you. For that reason, I think you will need to continue in quarantine for some time. How long is, unfortunately, not easy to specify. Some infectious diseases have incubation periods as long as three weeks between exposure and the onset of noticeable symptoms. However, in infants that period is shorter as their systems have less ability to resist disease. I am assuming that Melania must be at least a week old (counting from the day Minerva alerted us, and she might have been born before that--do you know for certain?). We can, therefore, deduct some of her age from our calculations.

I believe, therefore, that you would be safe if you were to keep the child quarantined for ten days. (You've done one already!)

At that point, if there is any hint of illness, we will extend the period and watch you both very carefully. Do remember that communicable illnesses become infectious days, even a week, before their symptoms manifest; that's how they defeat our efforts to control them. And remember, too, that even if the usual means of transmission is rats and their fleas as St Mungo's believes, you might become infected in the course of caring for an infant, whose bodily fluids are often difficult to manage with complete safety. If we have any reason to suspect Melania's health, we will need to keep you quarantined for the maximum period in order to be safe.

I wish I had better news for you, Frank, but I know that you share my concern for safety there at the Sanctuary.