WEB DESK
A level-IV emergency response has been launched to prevent the spread of plague in Menghai county of Southwest China’s Yunnan Province after two deaths caused by the disease sparked public concerns in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in August.
There are three forms of human plague; bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic.
A 3-year-old child was diagnosed with a suspected case of bubonic plague, Yunnan local authorities said. Officials from the county government told state media that the boy is the only infected case found so far and is suffering from mild symptoms.
In July, China confirmed a case of bubonic plague in the northern province of Inner Mongolia.
Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium, ‘Yersinia pestis’ which is caused by rats.
This transmits to humans typically through bites from infected fleas.
People can also get infected through direct contact with an infected animal, through inhalation and in the case of pneumonic plague, person to person.
‘Yersinia pestis’ is treatable with antibiotics if started early enough.