Bubonic Plague Cases Are No Cause for Panic

Reports of the infection—including one death this month—recently shook up social media. But, unlike COVID-19, plague is a disease that countries have more or less got under control.

Written byChris Baraniuk

| 3 min read

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ABOVE: Personal protective equipment from the 17th century. During plague outbreaks some doctors wore a beaked mask filled with herbs and perfume thought to protect against contaminated air.
© ISTOCK.COM, MANUELVELASCO

“Omg here we go…another outbreak,” wrote one Twitter user. “omg yikes bubonic plague????? Alongside covid???” chimed another.

They were not the only ones alarmed to see media reports this month about cases of plague—first in humans in Mongolia and then in squirrels in Colorado. A 15-year-old boy in western Mongolia died from bubonic plague after eating infected marmot meat, according to the country’s health ministry. Responding to localized cases, authorities in Mongolia closed some areas to tourists as a precaution.

While the boy’s death is tragic, there’s no reason to think this is another epidemic in the works.

“We’re not going to see a global outbreak or pandemic of the plague. That’s not going to happen,” says Michael Head, a ...

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Meet the Author

Chris Baraniuk
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Chris Baraniuk is a freelance science journalist based in Northern Ireland who contributes to The Scientist. He has covered biological and medical science for a range of publications, including the BBC, the BMJ, and Mosaic. He also writes about nature, climate change, and technology. His background in the humanities has long proved invaluable in his quest to bring science stories to people from all walks of life.
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