the remains of the asteroid landed right in the middle of the mall. falling into the grand fountain at the center. the heat from the asteroid combined with the water created a mist, in which the virus could flourish.
the virus while deadly to the aliens who created it had an entirely different effect on mankind, or to be more accurately womankind. men would be safe from the virus's effects and become nothing more than carriers for the virus to flourish. the woman would not be so fortunate.
a scientist who would later examine the affected would in his own words say this virus is unlike any known contagin, it can transform a female on a molecular level. the transformation would start by changing the female ovaries into testicles; that way the virus can remain in to infect others. after that, the exterior of the female's genitals will change to match their male counterparts. then it will spread outwards till finally, it reaches the head.
then after the victim has become completely male the second part of the transformation kicks in, starting again from the genitals the victim's body will change. now, these will vary from becoming scaly, furry, or becoming covered in feathers. from there it would once again spread till once again ending at the head. thankfully the victim's womb is for the most part left unaffected now attached to the victim's anus. allowing the victim to still give birth despite not having ovaries.
the scientist in question has had first-hand experience. Dr. (formally) Ruby Ashton now Dr. Ruben Ashclaw now a male anthro lion has documented that puberty has a major role. if the female has yet been through puberty she will not transform. age also has a major role as the younger the person is the longer the transformation process will take, the opposite is also true the older a woman is the faster she will transform. in one case an 82-year-old woman transformed into a muscular bear in under 2 days, not only that but he also regressed in age till he was 25 years old as is the case of any female over the age of 30.
the mental changes happen throughout the entire process, causing many mental changes. these changes range from deist to exercise and even lifestyle. for example, a vegetarian woman becoming an anthro wolf has found their diet to suddenly have meat in it. a woman who has never wanted to run has discovered how fast she can be as an anthro horseman. then there is the most common mental change, as the virus causes the victim to change it sends Serotonin through the brain as well as Gamma-Aminobutyric acid to not only keep the person calm but also make them happy for their new body.