They are preparing for an 'outbreak of' the virus.
an 'outbreak of' violence/war
a cholera 'outbreak'
(..) - How? Do you know of the Hanta virus? Yeah. A deadly virus spread by field mice several years ago. The newspaper says FEMA was called out to manage an outbreak. Do you know what the Federal Emergency Management Agency's real power is? It can suspend constitutional government Think about that. What is such a powerful agency doing managing a small viral outbreak in Texas? - You saying it wasn't a small outbreak? - No. I'm saying it wasn't the Hanta virus. Well, what was it? What was it? Years ago, your father and I were recruited (..)1998 The X Files