A small town of in northwest China has been placed under quarantine after a man died of pneumonic plague and 11 others were confirmed infected with the deadly lung infection, health authorities said.
It is caused by the same bacteria that occurs in bubonic plague - the Black Death that killed an estimated 25 million people in Europe during the Middle Ages.
While bubonic plague - which is usually transmitted by flea bite - can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early, pneumonic plague is one of the deadliest infectious diseases. According to the WHO, humans can die within 24 hours of infection.
See the full story here: telegraph.co.uk
Now this IS scary. Let’s all cross our fingers that their quarantine processes are fully effective.
Oh my this is something to worry about isn't it. The Vancouver area has a very high Asian population with lots of visits back and forth every day.
ReplyDeleteNot to miminize the panicdemic, but there are about 2 Billion people in China, that is 2,000,000,000 (count the zeros i could be wrong) and 1 (one) died? Goddamn what about smoking? and cars and factory accidents? Sorry these scare tales are just too much, in this day and age 25 million is about 10% of the population. Chairman Mao would be pleased.
ReplyDeleteCanada gave us the bird flu panicdimic. What fresh hell is this?
I'm with Punch. I'd also add that if we educated ourselves on the what is actually out there ready for you to catch, contract, or get contaminated by you wouldn't leave home.
ReplyDeleteThe chances of you catching golden staph and various other lovelies in hospital is HUGE. I'd be more worried about that than the plague.
Jeez guys...just saying. I'm not actually a panic merchant - just thought it sounded kinda scary is all. My bad.
ReplyDeleteLou as someone that works in a public institute that has a huge immigrant population it is scary. I remember the SARS panic several years ago. Of course anything can get us -- but some of these bugs - are just down right scary.
ReplyDeleteNo bad by you!!