Qinghai hit with pneumonic plague, two dead

Thousands of people in Qinghai province have been placed under quarantine after two men died and 11 others were confirmed infected with pneumonic plague. The first victim, a 32-year-old herdsman in Ziketan, died over the weekend. His 37-year-old neighbor was the second casualty. Pneumonic plague, which can be spread through coughing, is caused by the same bacteria that occurs in bubonic plague and considered even more dangerous since it could kill 24 hours after infection. The Qinghai health bureau has now stated that anyone who has visited Ziketan and the surrounding areas since July 16 needs to seek treatment immediately if they've developed a fever or a cough. Source: Bloomberg