Jovivirus
Jovivirus is a disease currently in the pandemic stage on Jupiter. It has been an issue for thousands of years, but recent evolutions in these pathogens have made it so any and all cures and ailments are useless.
The stress of locating new antidotes have resulted in jovians seeking out new planets to conquer, in the hopes that endemic organisms carry a cure. Jovivirus solely affects aurvads, a class of organisms exclusive to Jupiter, so the chance alien organisms have an antidote is slim at best.
The Jovian Scientific Conglomeration is the world-leader in studying this virus and searching for cures. They have specially manufactured exploration vehicles, JSC Research Ships, to study lifeforms of various planets, trying to isolate cures.
Throughout history jovivirus has claimed 16 trillion lives. Annually, the number sits around 17,650,000.
Symptoms
Frequent Symptoms
Jovivirus has countless symptoms. Most frequent and earliest symptoms appear as a common cold, with a higher temperature, blocked respiratory systems, and frequent coughing.
Later symptoms, setting in about a week after initial signs, include goosebumps, sweaty ankles, and sweaty elbows. Scientists are still not quite sure what causes these symptoms.
Another irritating symptom are blinding headaches and a deafening ringing sound heard at random intervals.
It becomes incredibly hard to treat jovivirus once one's tail has fallen off. This is a slow process; tendons slowly snap, an incredibly painful experience, skin breaks down, and eventually the bone snaps, and the entire tail falls off.
About one in ten people die from jovivirus. This percentage is higher in urban areas where the disease can spread quicker and variants are much stronger.
Treatment
Simple pharmaceutical medicines were readily available to help calm symptoms of jovivirus. These were affordable and almost everyone had access to them. Rest was often prescribed to those with jovivirus, but it was not necessary and one could continue working without proper rest.
As more severe variants of jovivirus appearing, these medicines became useless. Medicinal corporations lost millions as their most profitable items become profitless.
As of now, there is very little that can be done to treat jovivirus. Some seek metaphysical treatment, performing acts of magic to soothe symptoms. It works to some extent, but cannot cure the disease.
A rise of faux medicine has been seen in recent years, will blatantly false health advice given at hefty prices to squeeze the money out of the gullible and afraid.
History
Collect a Sticker!
A jovian city stall sells small Jupiter stickers. Better add one to Your Stickerbook! Click to collect sticker: JupiterUp until around fifty years ago, jovivirus was nothing more than a common cold. Those that died to this illness had pre-existing issues, such as a compromised immune system. 99.9% of individuals overcame the disease without even needing to take extra time to rest.
More severe variants of jovivirus starting popping up in urban areas around fifty years ago. These variants were common around the Great Red Spot, a bustling mass of megacities engulfed in a gentle red stormcloud.
The Jovian Scientific Conglomeration attempted to find cures in their homeland but ultimately found nothing. Jupiter's moons were also studied - new diseases and new cures were discovered, but alas, no cure for jovivirus was found.
More and more outbreaks caused ties to sever with other planets and businesses, who refused to land on Jupiter due to the disease.
The tail falling off is such a striking and unpleasant imagery. Poor fellas.
I love slapping in some unpleasant imagery in my condition articles :D