[So he was half right; her family is almost from the UK. He'll refrain from commenting on the state of affairs between England and Ireland, as he assumes it must have all been sorted out by her time. His version of 'sorting out' involves the United Kingdom having a much larger kingdom to the west, for the record.]

A virus?

[He actually has to think about that for a moment.]

Something like rabies, you mean? How dreadful.

[His tone is genuinely sympathetic. He comes from an era where communicable diseases are still a serious concern, and one that hit the world? What a nightmare.]

Surely the healing arts have improved, since the time of the Great War. It must be something very serious indeed if it's lasted twenty years.