‘Black Death’ – Bubonic Plague Hit China

A case of bubonic plague has been recorded at a hospital in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia.

Authorities in the city of Bayan Nur have issued an alert banning the hunting and eating of animals that could carry plague.
The public have been told to report any suspected cases of plague or fever with no clear causes, and to report any sick or dead marmots. Yesterday’s third-level alert, the second lowest in a four-level system, follows four reported cases of plague in people from Inner Mongolia last November.

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This included two cases of pneumonic plague, a deadlier variant of plague. The bubonic plague, known as the ‘Black Death’ in the Middle Ages, is a highly infectious and often fatal disease that is spread mostly by rodents.

Plague cases are not uncommon in China, but outbreaks have become increasingly rare. From 2009 to 2018, China reported 26 cases and 11 deaths.Photo Credit: Getty