The plague never went away: Cases are reported in parts of Africa and the US nearly every year
The plague, the rare bacterial infection infamously known for killing tens of millions in 14th-century Europe, never went away . It is now easily treated with antibiotics. Since the 1990s, most human cases have been reported in Africa, especially Congo and Madagascar, according to the World Health Organization . There are an average of about seven human cases per year in the U.S., according to…
The plague, a bacterial infection infamous for decimating millions in 14th-century Europe, persists to this day. It is now easily treatable with antibiotics. Since the 1990s, the majority of human cases have been recorded in Africa, particularly in Congo and Madagascar, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, there are typically around seven human cases annually, mainly in rural areas of the western states, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Recently, a worker at a plague research institute in Siberia passed away from pneumonia, causing concern in Russia after unverified media reports suggested she may have succumbed to pneumonic plague. Russian authorities assert that testing revealed no evidence of plague, yet the research institute has been placed under quarantine.
Simon Clarke, a researcher from the University of Reading in the U.K., emphasized that people erroneously assume the plague has disappeared, as it was a phenomenon from half a millennium ago. He warned, "It's not. It's here amongst us." Unless the wild animal populations are eradicated, which is evidently impossible, the bacteria will continue to pose a threat.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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