The black plague resurfaces in 2025

What is and was the black plague?

Back in the mid 1300s, the black plague was devastating. Back then, doctors were much less experienced and medicine was much less developed than it is today. This devastating plague first appeared in 1347, based on history.com, when twelve ships voyaging the black sea returned back to Messina

Messina back in the 1300s

When people welcomed them back, they viewed a horrible sight. Most of the sailors were deceased due to the black plague and the survivors were riddled with black boils. Even though evacuation of these boats from the harbor was called soon after, it was too late. The black plague ran rampage and killed more than 20 million people across Europe, almost one-third of the population.

How did these voyagers get the plague in the first place?

The black plague doesn't only affect humans; it affects animals and insects too. This means the plague was most likely transmitted from a mosquito to a rat (rats extremely common to come by in this time period) to then humans. As well as underdeveloped medicine, people didn't practice good hygiene at the time. Bathing and clean clothes only being for the royalty and the wealthy, this leads to very speedy transmitting of the plague, killing more people. Since this plague was so famous for being so devastating, it serves to reason why people were frightened about it.

Why should we not be worried about the plague today?

For one, people actually keep themselves cleaner, so the disease spreads a lot less, with only one case occurring so far in 2025 (From Koat). Our medicine and healthcare has developed far more than the plague doctors (doctors with masks that have herbs in them to block infections) to now, doctors that can bring people back from the verge of death. Doctors have even said this disease is not the top of their priorities, because of how rare it is today. These doctors also have treatments for this, but no vaccine yet. How did this disease reappear? Some insects or animals must have carried the disease for a while, and found areas near humans, then contaminating some humans. There are actually three types of the black plague; the Bubonic plague, which is the most common, which causes the boils of pus, the Septicemic plague, where the infection spreads throughout the entire body, and the Pneumonic plague, which affects the lungs. As with most diseases, all of these, if left untreated, can kill. (From the  L.A times)

What are some symptoms?

Symptoms include swellings that grow to as big as a small apple, fever, chills, diarrhea, vomiting, and aches and pain. How do you avoid getting the black plague? Stay away from dead animals, and steer clear from areas with signs that specifically state that black plague is ahead. To wrap this article up, this disease has been devastating in the past, but because of our advances in medicine, the risks are greatly reduced.

Sources

“Black Death.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 28 May 2025, www.history.com/articles/black-death.

“The Plague Reappeared in California. Here’s How Dangerous It Is.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2025, www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2025-08-25/the-plague-reappeared-in-california.

Catlin, Nick. “New Mexico Reports First Plague Case of 2025.” KOAT, KOAT, 26 Aug. 2025, www.koat.com/article/new-mexico-first-plague-case-2025/65892166.

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Author

Noah Lewis is a 10th grader at the white and blue school of Poudre high school. This is his first year in Poudre Press. He is also an avid wrestler, who wrestles year round. Other hobbies he enjoys include mountain biking, collecting sports memorabilia/cards, camping, and playing video games.