The Centre for Health Protection is closely monitoring the reports of plague in Zhongba, Tibet, after two of five patients died.

They had fallen ill between June 13 and 18.

The Department of Health's Port Health Office is contacting the travel industry to inform them of the latest situation and give relevant health advice. Travellers should avoid visiting plague-infected areas. If travel to such areas is necessary, travelers should take precautions. Click here for more details.

Plague is primarily an infection of rodents caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. The disease can be transmitted to people from rodents through fleas. People can also contract plague when cuts or other breaks in their skin come into contact with the body fluid or tissue of infected animals.

Plague patients usually have a fever, headache and painful swelling of the lymph nodes. This common form of plague is termed bubonic plague. The infection can develop to septicaemic plague if it invades the bloodstream. If the infection spreads to the lungs, it will result in pneumonia or pneumonic plague.

Patients with pneumonic plague have fever, chills, bloody coughing and shortness of breath. They may die if not treated immediately. Patients are highly infectious in this most serious form. It can spread from person to person by airborne droplets.

Early treatment, full recovery

Treatment must be started early when plague is suspected. People infected with plague should be isolated and treated with suitable antibiotics. If antibiotics are used properly and in time, patients can fully recover.

People who have developed symptoms such as fever, painful lumps, chills, malaise within six days after travelling to plague infected areas should seek medical consultation immediately. They should discuss their recent travel history with their doctors.