China seals off section of city after man dies of bubonic plague

“Black Death” kills man in China and 30,000 people are put into quarantine.

16:50 23 July 2014

A 38-year-old man from China died after being infected by a marmot. 151 people he came into contact with are now being monitored while 30,000 people are put into quarantine in an attempt to halt a potential outbreak of bubonic plague.  None have so far shown any signs of infection, as confirmed by news agency Xinhua.

China has sealed parts of its northwestern city of Yumen following the incident that took place last week.

The World Health Organisation said the plague is a bacterial disease spread by the fleas of wild rodents such as marmots. While the disease can be effectively treated, patients can die 24 hours after the initial infection.

China’s state broadcaster said there were 12 diagnosed cases and three deaths in the province of Qinghai in 2009 and one in Sichuan in 2012.

Meanwhile, Beijing’s disease control centre assured residents that the risk of the disease spreading to the capital was minimal.