Fourth case of bubonic plague confirmed in China

Chinese health authorities have confirmed another case of bubonic plague in the northern Inner Mongolia region on Thursday, November 28, 2019, making it the fourth reported case this month.

A herder in Siziwang county, Ulanqab was diagnosed with the disease in a local hospital, according to the Inner Mongolian health commission's statement. The person had been active in an area where plague sources had been found before his diagnosis.

The person has received treatment and has been in a stable condition. Four other people have also been quarantined.

Another person was diagnosed with bubonic plague in the Xilin Gol league on November 16, just about more than 400 km (250 miles) away.

The plague is known as "Black Death" in the Middle Ages. It is a highly infectious disease that is spread commonly by rodents. Another variant of the disease is the pneumonic strain, which can be fatal in 24 to 72 hours and is the "most virulent form" of the illness.

The Ulanqab government said it had sprayed almost 81 ha (200 acres) of land last week as part of rat and flea extermination work.

Earlier in November, three people from Inner Mongolia were sent to the hospital for plague in two different cases that were linked to eating wild animals– two of them were diagnosed with pneumonic plague, and one with bubonic plague.

This reported case, however, is not in the same region of Inner Mongolia as either of the two earlier cases.

No fatalities have been reported so far.

Plague cases are not uncommon in China, but outbreaks have become rare. From 2009 to 2018, the country reported only 26 cases and 11 fatalities.

Featured image credit: DarkoStojanovic/Pixabay