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Two Cases Of Bubonic Plague Detected In China

by Alix Coe | July 7, 2020

Health officials have confirmed that a case of the bubonic plague has been detected in China.

A herdsman from the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia is reported to be in quarantine after contracting the bubonic plague.

It has not been revealed how the patient came into contact with the disease. A second suspected case is currently being investigated in a 15-year-old patient.

A ban against hunting and eating animals that are known to be able to carry the plague is now in place until the end of the year.

“Not Considering It High-Risk”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it is monitoring the situation in China, and claims the incident is being “well managed.”

“At the moment, we are not considering it high-risk,” said Margaret Harris, a spokesperson for WHO, “but we’re watching it, monitoring it carefully.”

Bubonic Plague

Bubonic plague is a type of bacterial infection that originates in wild rodents.

The disease caused one of the most serious epidemics to date in the 14th Century, known as the Black Death. 50 million people are known to have died throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa during the epidemic.

A fifth of the population of London was killed during the Great Plague when the disease resurfaced in the 17th Century., and a further 12 million people died from bubonic plague in India and China during an outbreak in the 19th Century.

“Effective Antibiotics”

“Unlike in the 14th Century, we now have an understanding of how this disease is transmitted,” said Dr Shanti Kappagoda, a doctor specializing in infectious diseases.

“We know how to prevent it. We are also able to treat patients who are infected with effective antibiotics.”

Are you surprised that this disease has been detected? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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