In late 2180 the start of the most horrific viral outbreak in galactic history occurred, those affected lost all empathy and proceed to carry out their most violent and carnal thoughts, they retain skills such as using weapons,driving vehicles, and making traps and basic planning; the virus has a 99% infection rate for every know sapient species, It's transmissions through both both bodily fluids and the airborne particles make it extremely difficult to control and protect against. The outbreak is believed to have started in upstate New York in a Systems Alliance biowarfare lab where it broke containment and infected the lab's workers, after losing communication with the lab, dozens of armed soldiers arrived a few hours later. Upon investigation it was found that the most of workers killed and brutalized each other but a handful remained unaccounted for. The next few days in nearby small towns were littered with violence and disappearances. Initially, news reports were suppressed by the Systems Alliance, and mass violence was chalked up to rioting and mass hysteria in the bigger cities but this facade didn't last; Salarians Intel Agents noticed multiple Alliance Military channels referring to a "contagion" and "A matter of galactic security" when ever discussing the "riots". The Salarian Councilor informed the Council And urged them to take action, but the others remained unconvinced and unwilling to hamper relations with the Alliance and decided that it was a human matter and simply not their place to interfere. Over the next weeks the virus spread unchecked in human space, and eventually to Citadel when a unresponsive freighter appeared near the megastructure; C-SEC officers boarded the vessel and found a bloodbath,filed with mutilated bodies decided to tow the ship for further investigation after a search found no one living. unbenounced to the investigators an infected man had survived and remained hidden until the ship was in the port and escaped into the lower wards. The Council weeks later realised it had made a mistake when reports of extremely violent riots and crimes came flooding out of the Lower Wards, Palaven, Sur'Kesh and numerous colony worlds, unknown to the council or anyone is the extreme threat the crossed pose to everyone in the galaxy.