China 'seals off' town after man dies of bubonic plague

The 30,000 people living in Yumen in the northwestern province of Gansu are not being allowed to leave, and police at roadblocks on its perimeter are telling motorists to find alternative routes, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said.

Yahoo / AFP source article

After the recent events in Colorado, I thought this was rather interesting to see crop up at the same time.

Apparently the deceased had found a dead marmot, and was chopping it up to feed to his dog.

Being that bubonic plague (black death) is a bacterial infection; I am wondering how much lack of hygene played into this gentleman's death.

Tho it is not surprising to see the government of China quarantine an entire area over this; I am wondering how such actions would be viewed if it were done here in the States. For instance, how would people respond if, say, Denver, and the town where the Colorado cases appeared were put on lockdown?

No, I do not see this causing the end of the world. I merely post this as "food for thought".

Stay Healthy, ATS.

Isn't this unusual, or have fleas been spreading this plague every year and we just don't hear about it?

Bubonic Plague? Wow, add another one to the list of end-of-world scenarios. Wars, rumors of wars, illegal immigration, Ebola, and now this. What's next?

I'd like to think that in a genuine health risk situation concerning something extremely contagious and, let's face it, horrible, that people would understand that it's for the greater good so that infection wouldn't spread. However I would always understand people being annoyed at having to stay somewhere they may get sick. It's a tough one, but I'd like to think of it happened in the UK they would successfully quarantine wherever the outbreak was. Must be quite difficult thing to do though.
Of course in the UK and US there would always be suspicion over such an action and whether it was really for an entirely different reason. Who knows dude, who knows

Plague still lurks in some African nations and still kills where folks don't get the antibiotic treatment. It's very rare in Europe and China, but pops up in the western United States because the plague is heavy with squirrels.

Source

At this point I don't know if its anything to stress about yet, but definitely worth keeping an eye with this situation in China. All of these many diseases breaking out all over the planet are worth keeping an eye on, and not only among humans but the outbreaks that are wiping out many in the animal kingdom, such as this White Nose Syndrome among bats here in the US. I've put out there my thoughts on this many times, and here, I'll say it again;

First, you may be asking yourself how diseases and pandemics have anything to do with dangerous gases and atmospheric heating. It’s simple really. There are various types of microbes that eat methane. They live deep underground and they live 30,000 feet into the air. Basically, they are everywhere and they feed off methane.

The theory goes something like this. The more methane increases it becomes a feeding frenzy for the microbes. What happens when these microbes have more than enough to eat? They multiply. As methane release increases, there is naturally going to be a rapid increase in the microbes that feed.

Through the evolution of bacteria over millions of years you can expect that other species of bacteria can also experience growth. As one species of bacteria rapidly increases, others will follow. I propose in this theory that as the microbes continuously feed on the increased methane, other bacteria are following the lead, thus, literally thousands of species of bacteria and viruses are experiencing phenomenal growth all over the planet.

To back this idea up, let’s first take a look at what bacteria really are. Bacteria are made up of the same genetic stuff that we are, only we have our DNA stored in the nucleus of the cytoplasm of a cell, while bacteria DNA isn’t stored in the nucleus. Their DNA is stored in the cytoplasm without a nucleus and that gives way for genetic mutation. The bacteria are made up of a genetic material called plasmids, which are small ring-like structures that float in the cell. They are separate from the chromosomal DNA and each has a specific job. One plasmid will cause the production of a chemical which negates antibiotic a, while another plasmid will cause the production of a chemical which negates antibiotic b. Then there is horizontal and vertical transfer of the plasmids to other bacteria. Vertical transfer is when a bacterium transfers the plasmid through its offspring, but it’s the horizontal transfer that may be responsible for the rapid rise in disease. This is when a plasmid replicates itself independently of the host cell and a single bacterium transfers a copy of that plasmid to every bacterium within range, and this includes bacterium of another species.

If you’ve followed news headlines over the past year then you’ve noticed a rise in disease outbreaks or resistance to drugs to fight these diseases. You’re not imagining things if you’ve questioned whether these diseases seem to be getting stronger.

Dangerous Gas Theory in relation to drug-resistant bacteria and mutating viruses

a reply to: Cygnis

The world is ONE BAD DAY away from a Pandemic:

‘Humdinger’: Swine flu virus which killed half-million modified to 'incurable'

A controversial flu researcher has modified the flu virus responsible for the 2009 pandemic to allow it evade the human immune system. His lab’s previous works include recreating the Spanish flu and making a deadly bird flu strain highly transmittable.

“He took the 2009 pandemic flu virus and selected out strains that were not neutralized by human antibodies. He repeated this several times until he got a real humdinger of a virus,” a scientist familiar with Kawaoka’s research told the British newspaper.

“He’s basically got a known pandemic strain that is now resistant to vaccination. Everything he did before was dangerous but this is even madder. This is the virus,” he added.

Get cozy with that picture. That will be in our bodies at a molecular level. More than likely in the next 3yrs. It's now a Bio-weapon.

a reply to: SurrenderingAmerica

Well isn't that just great? Why are mad scientists allowed to practice like this? And go figure RT has to tell us about it.

a reply to: Cygnis

well, at least China is addressing the problem. quarantine is okay as long as the government works on getting a vaccine to the people affected so they can leave the quarantine area. it's when there is no help in sight for them that it becomes a terrible situation. that is when a bad situation could get worse.

just my 2cents

complete lock-down?!

why not; better safe than sorry!

what I didn't know is that plague still lurks among us, even in developed countries from time to time.

scary if you consider the history of it and devastation it caused...

news like this:

Two weeks after a Colorado resident tested positive for pneumonic plague, the number has now risen to four confirmed cases. All four individuals are believed to have contracted the disease after contact with the same dog that has died from the disease. The canine potentially came into contact with a prairie dog, rabbit or other rodent infested with plague carrying fleas during a walk in Adams County, near Denver.

a reply to: lostbook

It's treated with antibiotics. This guy just didn't seek help in time.

Just the mentioning of the name send chills down the spine. Especially when you recall that such disease has decimated the world population in the past.

gotta be a result of this..

www.salon.com...

The present Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is the deadliest on record. On June 23, the World Health Organization reported 635 Ebola cases, including 399 deaths. By July 12, the figures were up to 964 cases, including 603 deaths. Doctors Without Borders and the World Health Organization are providing substantial medical personnel and resources on the ground in order to help contain the outbreak.

The United States, according to the CDC, has sent a seven-person team to help in Guinea, and provided protective clothing and equipment for healthcare workers in all three countries.

In all these "unstoppable virus" movies, you always laugh at the guy in a pickup truck who decides to make a run across the line to escape the military quarantine... but I think it would look like that in the US. Ain't no government gonna restrict my free travel!

After the first guy gets shot and incinerated to protect the rest of the population, it wouldn't stop, though. There's always someone smarter, who has a bigger truck, or could make the Kessel (sp?) Run in fewer parsecs.

There would be several examples, then a gigantic uproar from people inside who think it's overblown, and their supporters outside who think shooting quarantine-breakers and incinerating their bodies is stepping over a line.

Most likely, it would just turn into a storm of stupid.
a reply to: Cygnis

originally posted by: demus

complete lock-down?!

why not; better safe than sorry!

what I didn't know is that plague still lurks among us, even in developed countries from time to time.

scary if you consider the history of it and devastation it caused...

news like this:

Two weeks after a Colorado resident tested positive for pneumonic plague, the number has now risen to four confirmed cases. All four individuals are believed to have contracted the disease after contact with the same dog that has died from the disease. The canine potentially came into contact with a prairie dog, rabbit or other rodent infested with plague carrying fleas during a walk in Adams County, near Denver.

Is Pneumonic plague worse than Bubonic Plague? They both sound horrible..

Little research and I came up with this

Pneumonic plague, a severe type of lung infection, is one of three main forms of plague, all of which are caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It is more virulent and rare than bubonic plague. The difference between the versions of plague is simply the location of the infection in the body; the bubonic plague is an infection of the lymphatic system, the pneumonic plague is an infection of the respiratory system, and the septicaemic plague is an infection in the blood stream.

Typically, pneumonic form is due to a spread from infection of an initial bubonic form. Primary pneumonic plague results from inhalation of fine infective droplets and can be transmitted from human to human without involvement of fleas or animals. Untreated pneumonic plague has a very high fatality rate.

en.wikipedia.org...

With how bunched up everyone is in China, worse then some of our biggest cities, it could spread pretty
fast from their. It is China so I really would not expect anything less draconian.

originally posted by: Dianec
Isn't this unusual, or have fleas been spreading this plague every year and we just don't hear about it?

A handful of cases pop up every year all over the world. The US has an average of 7 reported cases a year mostly out West.

Between 1,000 and 2,000 cases each year are reported to the World Health OrganizationExternal Web Site Icon (WHO), though the true number is likely much higher.

cdc.gov

Influenza is more dangerous by the numbers.

a reply to: Cygnis

I just saw the headline on MSN NEWS and thought straight away 'Oh ShI t' but then I read the Article and its a small Province of 150 people and that the area has been quarantined and hopefully the one guy who had it didn't come into contact with anyone else who then travelled out further..

We don't want this one getting out... just as much as that 'EBOLA'

Police at roadblocks

Yep, that should about do it. Nothing to worry about folks. They have motorcycle cops at all the highways turning people around. No chance of it spreading now...

People are so funny! Keep up the hard work guys!

originally posted by: Quauhtli

Police at roadblocks

Yep, that should about do it. Nothing to worry about folks. They have motorcycle cops at all the highways turning people around. No chance of it spreading now...

People are so funny! Keep up the hard work guys!

I think its more about not letting people out then them coming in..
A quarantine as crappy as this is more for public image and keeping people
outside of it more comfortable. A 'feel' safer but not actually much.

a reply to: starfoxxx

Pnuemonic plague is the same thing. It's just the second stage.