New Plague

New Plague is a disease which arose in 2053, killing tens of thousands. The United States closed its borders and the first-ever national quarantine was declared. The source of the plague is unknown, but rumors persisted that it was a genetically engineered weapon.

In 2055, The West Tek Research Facility started working on a new virus to kill the New Plague. Despite their efforts, they were unable to find the cure and the plague continued to spread in the 2060s, fueling national paranoia.

The West Tek viral research and close ties to the federal government eventually lead to them being chosen for the Pan-Immunity Virion Project in 2073, a project later known as Forced Evolutionary Virus.

In February 2077, FEV Research was leaked to the world through an unknown source. There were protests in many major cities and governments around the world, as well as accusations that the US was responsible for the New Plague.

Shortly before the War, an outbreak of the New Plague hit Denver. Rioters burned down large parts of the city in their fear of contamination and anger at their treatment. Many panicked and fled the city by car, clogging the freeways when they ran out of gas and trapping everyone behind them. And then the bombs fell, destroying some of what was left and killing everyone who had managed to live through everything else.

Dr. Matthias Presper, co-creator of ZAX and the Scientific Advisor to the U.S. President was hibernated in the Boulder Dome soon before the war. As he and his comrades turned out to be infected with the New Plague, the disease was once again brought to the world in 2053.

According to the Reservation design document, the Prisoner (Player Character) himself and other Big Empty prisoners were also infected with the Plague.