Brainstorming

I don't have a lot of time for a blog post today, so I thought we'd have some fun!

I'm in the beginning stages of plotting out my next novel, a sequel to Dividing Spirits. At the end of Dividing Spirits, there's a world-wide disaster and most of the people in the major cities die from a virus that kills instantly (long story, but don't want to give away the story!). So there are several cities that just cease to exist overnight...

What do you think the world would be like two years later?

What would the economy be like?

Do you think the governments would have cleaned up these cities by then, or kept them gated off as Danger Zones?

What about progress? Technological advances, medical advances...would they keep up at the pace they are at now? slowed? ceased all together?

Help me brainstorm my world!