Bubonic plague reported in Libya

[mirkwood]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8105144.stm



<TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>Bubonic plague reported in Libya


</TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45937000/gif/_45937331_libya_tubruq_0609.gif
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --><!-- S SF -->The World Health Organization (WHO) is sending an expert to Libya to look into a reported outbreak of bubonic plague not far from the Egyptian border. Libyan officials say at least one person has died and several more have been infected in the town of Tubruq.
Cases of the disease, which was known as the Black Death in medieval Europe, are reported quite frequently in sub-Saharan Africa.
Bubonic plague can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early.
<!-- E SF -->The WHO received a request from Libya to investigate the suspected cases in Tubruq on Tuesday, spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi said.
An expert is on his way to Tubruq where he will help a government team study epidemiological data and check the reported cases.
If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak in that part of Libya for about 25 years, Ms Bhatiasevi said.
The Associated Press news agency quoted a Libyan official as saying that two people had been treated and sent home, and 10 others turned out not to have the disease.
Plague primarily affects wild rodents, and is spread between them by fleas.
Humans who contract the plague through flea bites normally develop a bubonic form - in other words, a form that enters via the skin.
Besides Africa, cases have also been reported in some Asian countries and in the US in recent years.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Aldon]

Notice how the news missed the opportunity to link this to the terrorists that were dieing from it not long ago.

[arbilad]

That's not surprising. They've reported Bubonic plague in the town where I live. They encourage you not to approach any sickly looking animals.

[Aldon]

Good point Arbilad.

But it would be stretching it to link the plague to where you are located to terrorist in Afganistan. Your somewhere in Coloradao if I remember correctly.

And the case in Libya may very well be non connected and innocuous.

However it could be easily linked with the extremist as Libya is known harbor for them.

I am probably trying too hard to link them but the press in general is inept at best.