#China quarantines village after resident dies of bubonic plague

Authorities in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia have sealed off an entire village after a resident died of bubonic plague, according to reports.

Health officials in Baotou city — an urban center of more than 2.65 million residents — learned of the victim’s death Sunday and confirmed Thursday that the resident died of bubonic plague, CNN reports, citing a statement on the Baotou Municipal Health Commission’s website.

The report marks the first fatality and second case of bubonic plague confirmed by Chinese authorities this year, according to the outlet.

To stop any possible spread, authorities sealed off Suji Xincun village, where the patient lived, and ordered homes to be disinfected daily, CNN reports.

All other residents in the village have thus far tested negative for bubonic plague, health officials said in the statement.

An earlier case of the bacterial infection was discovered in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, in July, prompting officials in China to issue a Level 3 alert until the end of the year.

The same measure is now being taken in Damao Banner, the district which encompasses Suji Xincun village, CNN reports.

Thursday’s statement did not indicate how the victim caught the disease that caused the Black Death — the pandemic which killed some 50 million people across Africa, Asia and Europe during the 14th century.

Nine close contacts of the victim, as well as 26 other people, have also been quarantined following the patient’s death. All of those individuals have tested negative for the disease, health officials said.

Up to 2,000 people worldwide catch the plague annually, according to World Health Organization stats cited by CNN. From 2009 through 2018, China reported 26 cases and 11 fatalities, Reuters reports.