Beijing : Thedeath toll so far is two, from a pulmonary plague that has struck a remote area in northwest China. Health authorities have quarantined 10 thousand people in the town of Ziketan, Qinghai province, inhabited mostly by people of the Tibetan ethnic group.

The second victim was a man of 37, a neighbor of the first, 32 years from whom he contracted the lung fever. The area is sparsely populated and this facilitates the containment of the spread of the virus. Ten other people, relatives of the two victims, seem to have contracted the disease and are under close observation. Vivian Tan, spokesman of the World Health Organization (WHO) in China, explains that "there is nothing new" and previously "there have been sporadic cases reported over the years. We're in constant contact with the authorities to make sure things are under control."

The pulmonary plague attacks the lungs and symptoms include fever, headaches and breathing difficulties. It can be transmitted from person to person or from animals to humans. The health authorities ensure that the situation is "under control", offices and schools remain open.

In October 2008 China announced a comprehensive health care reform - not yet implemented – to foster care and medical aid to the poorest people in remote areas of the country. Hundreds of millions of workers and farmers are forced to pay every visit, while the best hospitals are concentrated in cities. This leads millions of people to neglect their health, or to borrow and sell all they own to access health services. According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Health, at least 80% of peasants die without ever having seen a doctor, because the price of visits and treatments.

This situation has encouraged the spread of deadly epidemics such as SARS and avian influenza in 2003. Beijing has decided to cooperate with international health organizations, promoting tight controls as has happened recently with the new influenza H1N1.

Courtesy : AsiaNews