BREAKING NEWS..... BLOOD PLAGUE DEFEATED.... LOCAL SCIENTISTS IN LINE TO WIN SNOBLE AWARD....

We interrupt your regular program to bring breaking news! The blood plague which has been infesting our citizens has been defeated!

Scientists working at the new CornEx research facility have finally broken the back of this plague.

Over to Mortimer Goth, leader of the research team.

"It was only a matter of time. We have the potion. After decades of work, I am very proud to announce that our team has discovered the cure. Given the severity of the plague, we suggest citizens come to the labs and be treated immediately, to stop the spread of this haemataphagia. (I should mention that we do not know yet what side-effects there are but will be doing a follow-up study on those treated)."

Reporter - "Side-Effects?"

[Frantic beckoning from CornEx boss, just offscreen.]

Mortimer - I'm sorry, I have to leave now. My Adminstrator is calling me - something is going on in the alien research department - er - I mean the positronic ray area - I mean - oh - gottago. Excuse me.

It's almost a lifetime since this plague hit Sunset Valley. A nameless Sim started to attack residents of the city and spread the plague to first one and then another citizen, each one spreading it again until nearly half our population is infected. There is a certain mythological glamour about vampirism, but at least in the form we have it here, there is NOTHING glamorous about it. Here, in Sunset Valley, it is responsible for the poor health and low productivity of our city.

Even the tiniest children may be affected.

Sadly, the cure does not yet work on children; but will be made available to them at the earliest possible opportunity.

What to look for: Haemataphagia-infested Sims will ask to "drink" from the wrists of their friends and companions. This may appear better than the brutality we hear about from other worlds where those infested will attack Sims and drain them, but actually it leads to a form of dependency, so that the victim may develop the desire to "be turned" and become in turn another "vampire".

Vampires are affected, weakened, though not generally killed, by sunlight. They can be killed, just as any Sim can. They do not need stakes through the heart, garlic or silver bullets, nor are they afraid of crosses or any other religious symbol. These Sims are to be pitied. They lead a half-life, uncertain where or who their next meal will be, unable to digest properly normal Sim foods. Members of YOUR family could be affected. Get them to the Science Lab, get them to take the cure NOW. For all our sakes.

It is a matter or urgency that all residents who carry this plague get themselves treated.

The cure costs 3,000 Simoleans from the CornEx Science Research laboratories. (Help with the payment may be available from the City Authories for deserving cases. Forms are available from Sunset Hall and must be submitted in quadruplicate.)