At least two people in China are under close observation and receiving treatment for infections of the same plague that also ravaged Europe until the mid-1300s.
No, it's not the bad plot of a movie about pandemics, but it's certainly the worst "back to the future" we could hope for: after killing at least a third of the European population 700 years ago (but even then there were outbreaks in Asia) the black plague has set foot on the planet.
The two cases originated in northern China and were confirmed by Beijing doctors 4 days ago.
The airborne variant of the plague, which affects the lungs, can easily spread to others through the air. It is one of the three main forms of plague infection, along with bubonic and septicemic infection. It is precisely she believes to be responsible for pandemic of the black plague which killed between 25 and 50 million Europeans and remained in our imagination also thanks to Alessandro Manzoni and his “The Betrothed”.
Although it has not triggered large-scale epidemics for centuries, this bacterial infection is known to persist in some animal populations in Asia, the Americas and Africa.
Lung form is rare and considered a more serious threat. The black plague is almost always fatal if not promptly treated.
Few details, much fear
China's Xinhua news agency did not offer many details in its original report, leaving some questions unanswered. I searched the internet, even for Chinese engines (I can't tell you how) black plague images, or china bubonic plague, but nothing.
It is unclear what condition the two patients are in or whether they have had contact with others who may now be infected or experiencing the first symptoms.
The report notes laconically that “relevant disease prevention and control measures have been adopted”, but when dealing with something as serious as the black plague, you want to get as much information as possible.
The black plague, a ferocious animal
Plague can be transmitted to humans in several ways, but the most common route of transmission is through contact with an infected animal, often a rodent (although recently the mice were "exonerated" of the accusation of having started the pandemic of the 300s). Of course, the bite of a plague-positive rodent can transmit the infection, but even that of a flea can be sufficient. A US plague pandemic today would literally decimate the population, given the suboptimal health conditions of certain health centers. In Italy I don't even want to think about it, the plague of 1348 could be outclassed.
With adequate antibiotics the infection can be beaten, but it all depends on the timing of the diagnosis.
