China Records Case of Dengue Fever on Same Day Bubonic Plague Outbreak Reported
Patient in eastern Chinese city Guangde diagnosed with deadly virus
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China has recorded a new case of deadly dengue fever within 24 hours of reporting a fresh outbreak of the bubonic plague, according to reports.
Officials confirmed a patient in the eastern Chinese city Guangde was diagnosed with dengue fever on Sunday.
Local health authorities described dengue fever as a deadly virus that's spread by infected mosquitos.
It comes after an outbreak of bubonic plague has been detected in China's northern Inner Mongolia region over the weekend after a 15-year-old boy caught the infection.
Bubonic plague, known as the "Black Death" in the Middle Ages, is one of the most devastating diseases in history, having killed around 100million people in the 14th century.
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was "carefully" monitoring the Chinese bubonic plague outbreak after being notified by authorities in Beijing.
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On Wednesday, a WHO official claimed that the situation was being "well managed" by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and it is not considered to represent a high risk.
The government of Bayan Nur, the Chinese city that reported the bubonic plague case, on Sunday issued an early epidemic warning after identifying a herdsman as a suspected patient.
The individual was confirmed to have the disease on the same day, sparking fears of a new disease outbreak amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Bayan Nur's Party secretary Chang Zhigang on Monday ordered the city's officials to ensure that all plague-prevention measures would be carried out thoroughly.
The disease is carried by rodents and the new outbreak is linked to people eating a marmot – a type of squirrel.
Flu-like symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and feeling weak.
It is feared more than 30 others may have also contracted the highly infectious disease and they have been sent for testing.
Last November four reported cases were detected in the region - including two of pneumonic plague, a deadlier variant.
Dr. Narangeral, head of the ministry of health in Mongolia, said: "The child's condition has improved and there are reports that the fever has dropped and the pain in the axillary glands has decreased.
“We also took full control of 34 suspects in the first contact.
"Samples from the child will be flown in at 22:00 tonight for testing.
"This is the second plague in our country.
"Cases of marmot plague have also been reported in Inner Mongolia, China.
"In this regard, Russia yesterday began to take measures to ban marmot hunting."
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Health authorities in China revealed a positive case of dengue fever was confirmed on Sunday and was been recorded in the city of Guandge – located 750 miles south of the capital Beijing.
The viral infection is spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal as there is no vaccine.
Symptoms can include a high temperature, muscle pain, and vomiting - which usually passes within a week.
According to a post by officials in Guangde, which has since been deleted, the patient was initially diagnosed with the virus on June 5.
They had also previously traveled across Asia including to India and Pakistan.
Cases of dengue fever are on the rise across South Asia, with more than 1,000 weekly infections reported in the past month in Singapore.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA) more than 15,000 cases have been recorded in Singapore alone this year, with at least 16 known deaths.
