A small village located in the province of Inner Mongolia (China) has just been put in isolation. This measure follows the death of a person affected by the bubonic plague. Of the thirty or so villagers, none have tested positive but everyone is in quarantine. This is the second case of bubonic plague since the beginning of the year in China, and moreover in the same region.
You should know that the Black Death is the most common form of plague in a natural environment. Infection most often occurs after a bite from a flea infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis from a rat or other small mammal. The bubonic plague is famous for having ravaged the Mediterranean basin from the 5th century (Plague of Justinian) and decimated approximately a third of the European population in the middle of the 14th century (Black Death).
As CNN explains in an article from August 7, 2020, a deadly case of bubonic plague was recently reported in the village of Suji Xincun in Inner Mongolia (China). The man died of cardiovascular failure. Recall that painful swelling of the lymphatic system, cough and fever are among the symptoms of the plague.
Baotou city health authorities say in a statement that they have put the village in isolation. No less than 35 people are in quarantine . Among them, 9 would have rubbed shoulders with the patient and the remaining 26 would be secondary contacts. In addition, disinfection measures daily are in force today. The goal? Prevent the spread of this deadly disease throughout the region.
Remember that bubonic plague can be easily treated with simple antibiotics . However, it is important that a diagnosis be established quickly. Above all, the treatment must absolutely be taken within hours of contamination. In Suji Xincun, the infection does not affect any other villagers, at least for now. However, this is the second case of bubonic plague in China since the beginning of the year. In the city of Bayannur, also in Inner Mongolia, a shepherd had been hospitalized in July 2020. However, he was rescued.
The bubonic plague is a very old disease. In 2018, researchers from the Max-Planck Institute published a study claiming that the latter was already present 4,000 years ago. However, you should know that it has not completely disappeared from the surface of the Earth. In addition, although there is no longer an epidemic, the WHO reports a resurgence of cases (1,000 to 2,000 per year). Thus, bubonic plague is now classified as a re-emerging disease.
