MedStar Health Warns: Contagious and Symptomatic Ravens Fever on the Rise

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Jan 26, 2024, 13:49 ET

Chills, cravings, and purple skin among symptoms: contagion impacting all ages.

BALTIMORE, Jan. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In advance of Sunday's AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium, MedStar Health, the largest healthcare system in the Maryland-D.C. region, warns that a highly contagious and symptomatic fever is raging coast to coast. Known as Ravens Fever, experts predict the number of those afflicted is likely to explode exponentially over the next two weeks.

"We haven't seen the likes of this since 2012," said one emergency department physician. "In Baltimore especially, we're seeing the highest concentration of people with this pyrexia of excitement."

MedStar Health reports that fans of all ages are catching Ravens Fever.

Ravens Fever has even reached the mother and baby units at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center and MedStar Harbor Hospital, where newborn fans are all wearing purple Ravens-branded onesies. "We came in as a Chiefs fan," said one new dad. "Can't explain it. I'm online here looking for a Jackson jersey."

"I can't tell you how many trigger fingers we are treating now," said a Curtis National Hand Center, surgeon. "That's literally an overuse injury from extending the index finger to form 'Number 1'."

Symptoms of Ravens Fever may include:

Purple hair and face
Loss of voice or throat irritation
Tailgate grilling — anywhere
The urge to start a wave
Impulsive blurting of "Ca-Caw"
Food cravings (wings, pizza, nachos, meatball sliders)
Going shirtless
Screaming at the TV
Calling out sick on Sundays

Anyone experiencing Ravens Fever symptoms can let others know on Instagram, using the Ravens Fever filter. Access the filter by searching Ravens Fever, or by using this link: https://www.instagram.com/ar/761941609304815.

MedStar Health, the trusted medical providers of the Baltimore Ravens, advises fans to drink lots of water, eat responsibly, and ride the purple wave.

SOURCE MedStar Health