China raises alarm over suspected Bubonic plague

As the world continues to grapple with the ravaging coronavirus pandemic, there are fears of another disease outbreak in China’s Northern region as authorities announce precautions after a suspected case of Bubonic plague was reported in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The Bayannur municipal health commission noted in a press release that the people’s hospital in Urad Middle Banner reported the suspected Bubonic plague case on Saturday, quoting state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Local authorities in Bayannur on Sunday issued a third-level warning for plague prevention and control that will last till the end of 2020, the commission said.

Subsequently, authorities have requested the public to beef up self-protection as the city has the risk of people-to-people infections, warning against hunting and eating of animals that could cause plague infections.

The ‘Black Death’ which killed about 50 million people across Africa, Asia, and Europe in the 14th Century was caused by the Bubonic plague, according to the BBC.

The disease is typically transmitted from animals to humans by fleas and while it can now be treated by antibiotics, if left untreated, the disease has a 30-60 percent fatality rate.

Symptoms of the plague include high fever, chills, nausea, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin.

Caleb Ojewale

Caleb Ojewale is an Assistant Editor at BusinessDay Newspaper in Nigeria, where he also heads Industry and Real Sector, supervising all associated beats/desks. He is concurrently Editor for Features, Interviews, and the Newspaper's Backpage (Monday to Thursday). He has also been OP-ED Editor and a member of the Editorial Board. A well rounded business journalist; he is a recipient of multiple local and international journalism awards. Caleb is a fellow of the University of Oxford and OKP and has bachelor’s and Master's degrees in communication from Lagos State University and the University of Lagos, respectively.