The authorities of China confirmed that a third man has died of pneumonic plague in Ziketan, Qinghai Province, China. The city has been closed. The 64-year-old man lived near the other two men who died, officials said.
Checkpoints have been set up around Ziketan, a town of 10,000 people, while doctors disinfect the area. Teams of workers have been sent to exterminate rats and insects.
Pneumonic plague is caused by Yersin pestis, a bacterial agent that infects the lungs. It is a disease of rodents and their fleas, and humans. Can spread from animals to humans and from person to person. The early symptoms of pneumonic plague are fever, headache, weakness and a cough that produces bloody or watery sputum. Within two to four days can cause septic shock. Without early treatment of the disease is fatal.
It is caused by the same bacteria that caused the Black Death which killed about 25 million people in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Human infection occurs through respiratory droplets. To become infected a human being needs to have face to face contact with a sick person.
In the event of the following principles of effective antibiotics - streptomycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Although there is no vaccine, treatment with antibiotics for seven days can protect people who have had face to face contact with infected persons.
In the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pestis Yersin classified as category A (high priority) agent of bioterrorism.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised the Chinese authorities for their swift response and for getting the situation under control. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) The Chinese authorities have been open about this outbreak.
Local media report that so far about ten people have been infected. Urging the authorities to show any symptoms you have been to the city since mid-July to seek medical attention immediately.