The Last of Us fans have spotted a hidden moment Joel was almost infected

If you've been watching The Last of Us (who hasn't?) then you will be all too aware it's pretty difficult to avoid being infected with the cordyceps virus. And yet somehow Joel (Pedro Pascal) has managed to avoid infection for the last twenty years. However, eagle eyed fans have noticed a few scenes in which Joel almost got infected.

In HBO's The Last of Us, the series based on the video game of the same name, the world has been taken over by a deadly fungus called cordyceps. It takes over the body and destroys the brain cells. Eventually the fungus will have complete control of the body, leaving the individual like a sort of zombie, whose sole mission is to spread its spores. Lovely.

In episode three Joel told Ellie (Bella Ramsey) the virus spread so quickly because it got into the food supply through items such as flour. And it's this little hint that had many viewers realise the few scenes in which Joel narrowly missed being infected.

All the way back in episode one, there are numerous times in which Joel and his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) almost eat a product containing flour.

In the beginning of the episode Sarah is looking for pancake mix to make her dad a birthday breakfast but can't find it. Shortly after Joel and Sarah are offered biscuits by their neighbours but decline.

Later, Sarah helps their neighbour make cookies, but doesn't eat them as they're actually raisin cookies rather than chocolate chip, seriously who likes raisin cookies?

And then finally, Joel forgets to pick up his own birthday cake later that evening. What do all the things they avoid eating have in common? Flour.

The second episode of the series opens up with a scene in Indonesia where the world's largest flour factory is located. And it's in Indonesia where the first case of this cordyceps virus is found in a worker from a factory.

Viewers of the show have been pointing out the moments and joking they're now going to avoid flour.

One person said: "The Last of Us make me feel nervous eating anything made with flour lmaooo."

And another said: "I have a few scoops of pancake mix left but ever since The Last of Us came out I've been too scared to use them up."

Others joked and questioned if being a coeliac would mean they would be able to avoid the virus.

Whilst they're less likely to have been infected by cordyceps from eating it directly in products with flour in it, people with coeliac disease could still be infected through spores or being bitten by infected people.

So, basically no one is safe from the cordyceps virus.

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