MOH and WHO are working together to contain an outbreak of bubonic plague

August 14, 2010 • 9:49

Three people have died in the last two months in Peru by the outbreak of bubonic plague and pneumonic plague that affects mainly the north.

According to Health Minister Oscar Ugarte, more than 30 people infected by the disease, he said, "is under control."

Of the three deaths, the first two died of bubonic plague, transmitted by rodent flea bites, while the third died of pneumonic plague, the most deadly version, which is transmitted between humans.

Ugarte outbreak blamed the burning of agricultural land and crops including sugar cane, which he said has led to the arrival of rodent pests of the people.

No more fatalities

Officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) working with the Peruvian authorities to contain the outbreak ensured that cases are being processed at this time are not fatal.

According to these officials, most of the cases reported so far are a mixture of bubonic plague and pneumonic.

The BBC correspondent in Peru, Dan Collyns, explained that pest extermination teams have been deployed in high risk areas and have taken steps to limit the risk of an epidemic.

The last outbreak of bubonic plague in northern Peru was in 1994, killing 35 people and infected more than a thousand.