The first-born son of every family in New Newmanton died over the course of eleven days this month following the spread of a drug-resistant respiratory virus that public health officials say most likely originated at the Chicken Bitch Ranch, the poultry supply facility operated by the fried chicken chain Chicken Bitch. The Department of Health confirmed 8,412 deaths and described the outbreak as "contained," citing the fact that the affected demographic — first-born sons — is now largely exhausted.

Chicken Bitch, whose tagline is "We're open until they shut us down," remains open. A company spokesperson noted that no order to shut the chain down has been issued, and that the restaurant "looks forward to a productive relationship" with inspectors during a walkthrough currently scheduled for the third quarter. The chain has declined requests to close voluntarily, characterizing such requests as "exactly the kind of thing our tagline is about." The facility's outsized consumption of the island's antibiotic supply, which this paper previously reported had left area hospitals unable to treat bacterial infections, may have contributed to the pathogen's resistance profile, though the Department of Health declined to speculate on the record.

The virus, designated CB-1 by researchers at the University of Minnesota, was traced to a ventilation system at the Ranch that the Department of Health had previously flagged in a 2019 report, a 2021 report, and a memo that was never distributed. Officials said the pathogen's resistance to treatment was "unfortunate" and "broadly consistent with our funding levels." A spokesperson emphasized that at no point did the chain violate any regulation currently on the books, several of which Chicken Bitch helped draft.

Grieving families have been directed to a bereavement hotline, which upon connection plays a recorded message thanking callers for choosing Chicken Bitch and offering a coupon for a two-piece combo, valid for surviving members of the household.