THE BUBONIC PLAGUE RESURFACES IN CHINA, WHO SAYS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
The Chinese City of Mongolia high has been placed on high alert after authorities confirmed that the bubonic plague-a century-old pandemic has resurfaced in the region.
According to state-run Xinhua news agency, a hospital alerted municipal authorities of the suspected case over the weekend. By Sunday, local authorities issued a citywide third-level warning for plague prevention and control until the end of 2020.
Two other cases of bubonic plague were confirmed in the city after brothers ate suspected infected marmot meat, China news Xinhua reported.
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“WE ARE NOT CONSIDERING IT HIGH-RISK, BUT WE ARE WATCHING IT -WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, July 7, said it was monitoring the case of bubonic plague in China after being notified by the authorities in Beijing.
The UN health agency confirmed that it was duly notified on July 6 of a case of bubonic plague in Inner Mongolia, China.
“Bubonic plague has been with us and is always with us, for centuries,” Margaret Harris, the WHO spokeswoman told reporters at a virtual briefing.
“We are looking at the case numbers in China. It’s well managed.
“At the moment, we are not considering it high-risk, but we’re watching it, monitoring it carefully.”
Harries said the world health agency is collaborating with the Chinese and Mongolian authorities.
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WHAT IS BUBONIC PLAGUE?
The Bubonic plague is a disease caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis and transmitted through flea bites and infected animals. It causes painful, swollen lymph nodes, as well as fever, chills, and coughing. The plague, which can be transmitted from human-to-human killed an estimated 50 million people in Europe during the Black Death pandemic in the Middle Ages. However, modern antibiotics can cure the disease if administered early enough.
The disease was responsible for 584 reported deaths from 2010 to 2015 out of the 3,248 cases diagnosed within that timeframe.
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