Teenager Dies From Bubonic Plague After Eating Large Ground Squirrel
TEENAGER DIES FROM BUBONIC PLAGUE – Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, reports of bubonic plague deaths continue to be reported.
This time, a teenage boy died after eating a large ground squirrel called the “Marmot”. Authorities reported that the teenager contracted the plague from the Marmot, a rodent species known to be couriers of the disease.
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Because of this, authorities had isolated and contained 15 people who had come in close contact with the teenager. According to a report from CNN, the isolation began on Sunday and would run until Saturday. Luckily, all of the individuals were healthy or asymptomatic.
Since the great plagues of the past, the diseases were primarily carried by rodents which are the main vectors of animal-human transmissions. Furthermore, the disease may also spread through flea bites from person to person.
Historically, Mongolia had documented 692 cases of marmot related plagues from 1928 to 2018. Of that number, 513 succumbed to the disease equivalent to a mortality rate of just over 74 percent.
Meanwhile, there were two cases of bubonic plague reported in the neighboring province of Khovd earlier this month. As such, officials from Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food told citizens in the border to stop hunting or eating marmots.
READ: Chinese City in Inner Mongolia Issues Warning Due to Suspected Bubonic Plague Case
Moreover, they urged the residents to take preventative measures against potential insect bites which could also spread the disease. As per the report, Sergei Diorditsu, a World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Mongolia stated:
There are natural foci of plague in Mongolia and the disease is spread by tarbagans (Mongolian marmots).
The problem is that local residents who, despite all prohibitions and recommendations of local authorities, continue to hunt them and eat them, as this is a local delicacy.
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