Bubonic plague, known in the Middle Ages as the “black death”, is not a disease completely forgotten by the world. Two cases of this disease were diagnosed in China.
Plague in a Chinese city
A case of bubonic plague was diagnosed at a local hospital in the town of Bayan Nur, in the Chinese Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia. The city authorities issued a third degree alert – it is forbidden to hunt and eat meat of animals that can transmit plague bacteria (e.g. marmots). On July 1, the Xinhua news agency reported two suspected bubonic plague cases, which were subsequently confirmed in a laboratory.
Authorities also called for reports of fever that occur for no apparent reason, as well as for noticed sick or dead marmots.
The plague still exists
In November last year, four cases of plague were detected in Inner Mongolia, including two cases – pulmonary plague, a more serious form of the disease.
Bubonic plague (one of the types of plague), known in the Middle Ages as the “black death”, is a very contagious and often fatal disease. The disease is caused by bacteria transmitted by fleas living on wild rodents. According to the World Health Organization, if not diagnosed and treated in time, it can kill an adult in less than 24 hours.
In China, between 2009 and 2018, 26 cases of the plague were diagnosed, including 11 fatalities.
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