An article regarding the re-emergence of Bubonic Plague which wiped out halt of the population of Europe in the 14th century.
Better to be aware and prepare than to be sorry later.
The Bubonic Plaque has never disappeared so that it has to re-emerge. It remains as a threat in the USA where some people every year are affected, and is similarly present in many other places Worldwide. From the WHO Report on Global Surveillance of Epidemic-prone Infectious Diseases is this “Natural foci of plague are situated in all continents except Australia (my bolding), within a broad belt in tropical,subtropical and warmer temperate climates, between the parallels 55° N and 40° S”
A reason that this news article appeared was that a man ate a Marmot (a small furry mammal) that had the disease present (it is carried in Fleas). It is illegal to eat Marmots in the area but it seems he had killed it to eat it. He ate the animal and shared it with his wife who then also contracted the disease, as it is quite deadly and they had come in contact with people swift action was taken to limit the exposure of the wider public to the disease.
Sure if people do not adhere to warnings and continue to take risks then just like the increasing levels of measles and other largely preventable diseases are happening (many of these however are able to be prevented/reduced by vaccination) it could quickly spread amongst our human population.
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These reports and fear media seem to come out every few years at the start of the flu season. I wonder if this it to encourage flu vaccinations rather than a real threat?
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I wonder if Australia has just been lucky?
The threat is very real.
There are historical records of patients in Australia infected by the plague bacteria.
Is it all down to how effective Australia’s biosecurity is at minimising the risk of the bacteria being introduced?
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It certainly is real.
One only has to look at the re-emerging diseases which were all but wiped out prior to the anti-vax stupidity, especially the spiralling number of cases of measles around the globe.
And Australia has had a number of outbreaks of Bubonic Plague in the early part of the last century.
https://sydney.edu.au/medicine/museum/mwmuseum/index.php/Bubonic_Plague_comes_to_Sydney_in_1900
https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/bubonic-plague
https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-plague-fs-basics.htm
And whilst the authorities don’t expect it to re-enter Australia, they only have to miss an infected person arriving from overseas. or worse, a terrorist attack using it as a weapon.
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Exactly why the above comment was made in relation to whether it is a real current threat in Australia.
The current risk is those Australians who travel overseas to areas known to have a outbreak or where infection risks exist. The Department of Health website states:
People at risk
Travellers in rural areas of a place where plague occurs may be at risk, particularly if camping or hunting or if contact with rodents takes place. People living in rural areas that have a seasonal risk of human cases of plague are at highest risk of acquiring bubonic plague from flea bites.
The countries with the highest risk of human cases are Madagascar (with 60% or more of the worlds cases every year between 2010 and 2015) the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Peru.
There may also be a risk to people in areas where plague occurs in animals, but there have been no recent human cases. These areas include central, eastern and southern Africa, South America, the western part of North America and in large areas of Asia, but not in Australia. Refer to the WHO map.
Outbreaks of pneumonic plague may spread in urban areas as well as in areas with a seasonal risk of plague. Travellers to affected areas may be at risk as well as residents.
People who have been in contact with someone with plague could be at risk, particularly healthcare workers who have not used personal protective equipment.
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Irrespective of the level of risk of Bubonic Plague re-occuring in Australia, it certainly will not do any harm if residents follow the advice in the link in my original poat above and clean up rubbish in and around their properties so as to discourage rats and other vermin.
After all, there are plenty of other health problems linked to rodents.
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