Crossword Genius

Figure rail chaos to be like a disease (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

viral

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'figure rail chaos to be like a disease' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.

'rail chaos to be like a disease' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
an anagram of 'rail' is 'iral' which is within the answer.
A single letter 'v' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for viral that I've seen before include "Of organisms causing 'flu, etc" , "Like the common cold" , "Of organisms that transmit infectious disease" , "Go ___ (take off via the internet)" , "Spreading rapidly" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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