In Miami, signs of hope and abatement are beginning to rise out of
the ashes of burned out buildings, desolate streets and abandoned
homes. The latest word from FEMA is that the Government imposed quarantine,
enforced since September, may soon be over.
"The
undead presence is now within 90% containment" said FEMA spokesperson
Gayle Thweles at a press conference yesterday. The conference, some
critics suggest, was hastily convened to coincide with President Bush's
first visit beyond the borders of the TSZ ('Total Seclusion Zone.').
The current administration has been sharply criticized for it's lack
of public involvement in the Miami undead crisis. Bush particularly
has come under harsh criticism for his apparent inability to protect
US shores and isolate the recent Cuban
undead infestation, "The President turns up for his obligatory
photo op, shirt sleeves rolled up of course, ...where was he in the
planning stage?" said 'Mortosis Watchdog Foundation' Chairperson
Israel Berhard. "Why did he stifle advancement in Government
funded mortosis stem cell research"?
City workers
In Miami itself, the streets eerily quiet is occasional broken by
emergency vehicles or National Guard Humvees speeding by. It is estimated
that as many as 95% of Miami's residents have been evacuated since
September. This was never a voluntary evacuation. It was State mandated
and army enforced. In the later stages of the quarantine, those who
did choose to stay, were mostly emergency workers, city infrastructure
employees or private security firms contracted to protect various
financial holdings within the city. These workers were Issued with
'level 3' access passes. They could work within the city, however,
they were required to sign in and out at check points, be armed at
all times, carry emergency communication equipment, and vacate the
city at 4:00 pm sharp. Anyone found wandering the streets after that
point, risked arrest and a long spell in a quarantine facility. Or
in rare cases of mistaken identity, termination by security patrols
authorized to employ deadly force.
Statistics
According to Government statistics made public last week, as many
as 185 Undead have been terminated within the Total Exclusion Zone
of Miami at this point. A further 63 have been admitted into maximum
security quarantine with suspected Necro-Mortosis infection. There
have been over 17,000 arrests, mainly looting, rioting or quarantine
evasion.
When asked for a possible date of quarantine removal, FEMA spokesperson
Gayle Thweles cautiously said "It's still too early to say at
this point, but provided there are no new flair ups of the infestation,
it could be removed before the new year."