Another Deadly Disease, Bubonic Plague, That Killed 200m People In 14 Century Hits China

LAGOS JULY 6^TH (NEWSRANGERS)-When the world is still battling with Covid-19 alleged to have emanated from Wahun, China, health officials in China have issued a warning after a case of  another deadly disease, bubonic plague was confirmed by doctors.

A third-level alert was issued in the Chinese city of Bayan Nur – the second lowest in a four-level system.

Local reports say the patient is a herdsman from the city, in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and that he is in a stable condition

A third-level alert forbids the hunting and eating of animals that could carry the plague and asks the public to report any suspected cases of plague or fever with no clear causes, and to report any sick or dead marmots.

There was also a fresh plague scare in the province of Bayan-Ulgii in neighbouring Mongolia, which shares a border with both Russia and China.

And a 15-year-old resident of Ulaankhus soum, also in Mongolia, was taken to a local hospital on Sunday after eating a marmot hunted by a dog.

DEADLY DISEASE

The medieval disease is easily treatable with modern medicine – but left untreated, most infected will die within a week.

In the 14th Century the black death – a collection of plagues including bubonic plague – tore through the globe making it the most deadly recorded pandemic in history.

It killed 200 million people across Africa, Asia and Europe wiping out 60 per cent of Europe’s population.

Speaking to Healthline, Dr Shanti Kappagoda, an infectious diseases doctor at Stanford Health Care said: “Unlike in the 14th Century, we now have an understanding of how this disease is transmitted.

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

It comes after two brothers in Mongolia reportedly contracted the plague from eating marmot meat – a folk remedy for good health, the BBC reports.

A 27-year-old man and his brother, 17, are in hospital and described as “stable”.

Pansoch Buyainbat and his brother are being treated in separate hospitals in Khovd province.

‘REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT’

Video from Mongolia shows how hundreds of people have been vaccinated after coming into direct or indirect contact with the brothers.

So far there are no further known cases from this outbreak, but officials remain on high alert.

There were four reported cases of plague in people from Inner Mongolia last November, including two 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.

It’s characterised by flu-like symptoms and the appearance of buboes, raised, seeping welts on the neck, groin and armpits.

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

The plague is spread by fleas living on wild rodents such as marmots.

Local reports say the patient is a herdsman from the city, in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and that he is in a stable condition

A third-level alert forbids the hunting and eating of animals that could carry the plague and asks the public to report any suspected cases of plague or fever with no clear causes, and to report any sick or dead marmots.

There was also a fresh plague scare in the province of Bayan-Ulgii in neighbouring Mongolia, which shares a border with both Russia and China.

And a 15-year-old resident of Ulaankhus soum, also in Mongolia, was taken to a local hospital on Sunday after eating a marmot hunted by a dog.

DEADLY DISEASE

The medieval disease is easily treatable with modern medicine – but left untreated, most infected will die within a week.

In the 14th Century the black death – a collection of plagues including bubonic plague – tore through the globe making it the most deadly recorded pandemic in history.

It killed 200 million people across Africa, Asia and Europe wiping out 60 per cent of Europe’s population.

Speaking to Healthline, Dr Shanti Kappagoda, an infectious diseases doctor at Stanford Health Care said: “Unlike in the 14th Century, we now have an understanding of how this disease is transmitted.

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

It comes after two brothers in Mongolia reportedly contracted the plague from eating marmot meat – a folk remedy for good health, the BBC reports.

A 27-year-old man and his brother, 17, are in hospital and described as “stable”.

Pansoch Buyainbat and his brother are being treated in separate hospitals in Khovd province.

‘REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT’

Video from Mongolia shows how hundreds of people have been vaccinated after coming into direct or indirect contact with the brothers.

So far there are no further known cases from this outbreak, but officials remain on high alert.

There were four reported cases of plague in people from Inner Mongolia last November, including two 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.

It’s characterised by flu-like symptoms and the appearance of buboes, raised, seeping welts on the neck, groin and armpits.

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

The plague is spread by fleas living on wild rodents such as marmots.

The Sun

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