In extremely normal 2020 news, there’s a bubonic plague outbreak in Mongolia.
Two cases have been recorded, reportedly being linked to eating raw marmot (a large, herbivorous ground squirrel). A 15-year-old boy and a 27-year-old man are both in hospital in stable conditions.
24 hours after a local hospital recorded a case of the bubonic plague, Mongolian authorities have amped up precautions to avoid spreading the outbreak, news.com.au reports.
Authorities have issued a warning that strictly prohibits people in the region from hunting or eating animals that could potentially carry the bacterial infection, while urging people to report any suspected cases or questionable symptoms.
They have also been warned to call-in any sightings of ill or deceased marmots.
The disease, known as the “Black Death” previously, was first found on Saturday, with authorities quickly taking extreme precautions to avoid any further outbreaks.
Local health authorities implemented a Level 3 warning for the city of Bayan Nur immediately following the case’s discovery. The plague-prevention measures will remain in place for the remainder of a year as a precaution.
The bubonic plague, also known as the “Black Death”, is highly infectious, but is also quite treatable with simple antibiotics.
Although the thought of the Black Death making a comeback sounds absolutely terrifying and *very* on brand for 2020, WHO experts have clarified that the disease is far more treatable than it was back in the Middle Ages and is only fatal in approximately 30-60% of untreated cases.
“Unlike in the 14th Century, we now have an understanding of how this disease is transmitted,” Stanford Health Care’s Dr Kappagoda told Healthline.
“We know how to prevent it. We are also able to treat patients who are infected with effective antibiotics.”
The Black Death killed over 50 million people back in the 1300s, but is now far less of a threat. However, with symptoms including a high fever, nausea, chills, weakness and swollen lymph nodes – it’s far from pleasant.
