Bubonic plague, a term synonymous with death and devastation, is making headlines again. While a recent case reportedly seen in the UK was found to be a data error, the disease still has the potential to become an global health concern. The germ Yersinia pestis, which causes the plague, continues to thrive in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Researchers are now racing to create a vaccine as the world becomes increasingly concerned about its possible return.

The most notorious plague epidemic, the Black Death, devastated Europe, Asia, and Africa in the 14th century, killing an estimated 200 million and eradicating almost 60% of Europe's population. This lethal pandemic, which was caused by a combination of bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague, changed the course of history.

A laboratory report by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) of disease cases in England and Wales for the week up to March 13 had first reported a case of bubonic plague. But UKHSA officials later explained that this was a reporting mistake due to a lab misallocation.

The bubonic plague continued to strike in waves over history, with some major outbreaks in the UK, such as the Great Plague of London in 1665 and the last major outbreak in Suffolk in 1918. Although controlled largely with antibiotics nowadays, the disease has never been eradicated.

Yersinia pestis: The Bacterium Behind the Plague

Yersinia pestis is a very virulent bacterium that can spread through a variety of pathways. The most usual method of transmission is by flea bites from rodents to humans carrying the bacteria. Recent studies, however, indicate that human ectoparasites, including lice, are also involved in transmission, especially in historical epidemics when there were few rats.

How does the Plague Spread?

Flea Bites: Infected fleas, which typically reside on rodents, transfer bacteria to humans during bites.

Direct Contact: Transmission is caused by handling infected animals or body fluids of infected animals.

Human Ectoparasites: Recent research has suggested that human lice may serve as carriers, infecting humans upon bite.

Airborne Transmission: During pneumonic plague, bacteria are transferred from individual to individual through respiratory droplets.

Types of Plague and Their Symptoms

Plague is not one disease but occurs in three principal forms:

1. Bubonic Plague

This is the most widespread form of the disease. Symptoms usually develop within 3-7 days of infection and comprise:

• High fever and chills
• Severe headaches
• Muscle pain and fatigue
• Painful swollen lymph nodes (buboes), typically in the groin, armpits, or neck

2. Septicemic Plague

This happens when the bacteria transmit through the bloodstream. Symptoms are:

• Fever and chills
• Abdominal pain and vomiting
• Sepsis developing rapidly, causing necrosis of the tissues

3. Pneumonic Plague

This is the deadliest form of the disease since it transmits through respiratory droplets, and therefore it's extremely contagious. Symptoms are:

• Severe respiratory distress
• Coughing up blood
• Chest pain and shortness of breath
• Rapid development of respiratory failure

Pneumonic plague is treated promptly with antibiotics because it is life-threatening within 24 hours.

Is Plague Still a Threat?

Plague still lingers despite the improvement in medicine. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 1,000 to 2,000 plague cases are still being reported every year. Recent occurrences have been in the US, Peru, China, Bolivia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Russia.

Researchers are also concerned that Yersinia pestis can become antibiotic-resistant, which might make treatment harder. Furthermore, the possibility of bioterrorism has focused efforts on more vaccine and second-line treatment studies.

Treatment and Prevention Measures

If plague is detected early enough, it can be very easily treated with the antibiotics:

Streptomycin and Gentamicin: Pitted against Yersinia pestis, these aminoglycoside antibiotics block protein synthesis in bacteria.

Doxycycline and Ciprofloxacin: These are also employed for post-exposure prophylaxis in high-risk exposures.

Early diagnosis and prompt administration of antibiotics can lower mortality rates to below 10%.

Researchers are working hard to create a vaccine for the plague, especially because of the fear of antibiotic-resistant strains. In the past, several vaccines have been created, including:

Live-Attenuated Vaccines: Employed in certain nations, although not popularly accepted because of safety issues.

Formalin-Killed Vaccines: They were given to US troops in Vietnam but proved useless against pneumonic plague.

Newer candidates under investigation are designed to offer greater and more effective protection against all types of plague.

Are We Prepared for Another Plague Outbreak?

With re-emergence possible, health agencies worldwide are following outbreaks closely and spending money on research in hopes of averting another pandemic-sized epidemic. While medicine has better equipment with which to battle the disease today, speedy detection, public awareness, and vaccine development continue to be important to guarantee that the bubonic plague no longer turns into a global catastrophe.

Although the bubonic plague might be perceived as a thing of the past, it is a current and ongoing threat. The recent false alert in the UK is a stark reminder of its latent threat. By learning from its history, mode of transmission, and possible treatments, we can more effectively prevent future outbreaks. While scientists press on with their quest to create a vaccine, public health interventions and ongoing research will be key to containing and eventually eliminating the plague.

One in seven Indians, or over 14 percent of the population, suffers from some form of mental health disorder. Amid an increasing treatment gap -- up to 90 percent -- seen in several states, especially in North India, the government today reiterated the plan of launching a second National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in the northern states.

NIMHANS-2 was first announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Union Budget 2026-27, to deliver specialized care for mental health and neurological disorders in north India.

Health experts and policymakers, as part of the government-led Post-Budget Webinar series, highlighted the growing burden of mental and neurological disorders in India and also stressed the urgent need to strengthen institutional capacity to meet emerging healthcare demands.

"One in seven Indians is affected by mental health disorders, while several states continue to face a treatment gap ranging from 70 to 90 percent," the experts said.

Noting that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for over 60 percent of deaths in the country, they added that "neurological and mental health conditions are among the leading contributors to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)," among the citizens.

Need For Tertiary Neuro-psychiatric Care

To address these, the experts called for ramping up tertiary mental health institutions and expanding specialized services.

The session, moderated by Vijay Nehra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted that North India currently lacks adequate tertiary neuro-psychiatric care facilities. These include areas such as:

• advanced neuroimaging,
• neurocritical care,
• specialized neurological services

Further, making a virtual address at the Post-Budget Webinar, Union Health Minister JP Nadda also highlighted the government’s focus on strengthening mental healthcare services in the country.

"NIMHANS-2 will be established in North India to expand advanced clinical care, training, and research," Nadda said.

"In addition, the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, and the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, will be upgraded as regional apex institutions to strengthen mental healthcare services in the eastern and north-eastern regions," he added.

Meanwhile, the experts also stressed the need to improve services in underserved and geographically remote regions, including the northeastern states, through better infrastructure, capacity building, and targeted deployment of trained mental health professionals.

They also discussed strategies for expanding advanced neuro-psychiatric care and reinforcing India’s overall mental healthcare ecosystem. They proposed:

• Adopting a hub-and-spoke model supported by digital health platforms

This would allow tertiary institutions and centers of excellence to provide technical guidance, specialist consultations, and clinical support to district hospitals and community-level health facilities.

"Such a model would strengthen referral pathways and ensure that specialized mental health services are accessible to people even in remote and rural areas," the experts said.

• Integrating services under Tele-MANAS

Both existing and upcoming campuses of NIMHANS must be integrated , as this will enable a robust nationwide tele-mental health network that ensures

• timely counselling,
• psychological support,
• specialist consultations

• Digital follow-up systems

The experts called for the seamless integration of healthcare facilities, aligned with the vision of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and the ABHA ID ecosystem. This, they said, will

• enable continuity of care,
• Improve monitoring of patients,
• Lead to better clinical outcomes

• A national Brain-Mind Cloud Network

The Network proposed under the National Health Mission would connect premier institutions such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), state medical colleges, and primary healthcare centers through a digitally integrated platform.

It could also facilitate

• unified mental health records,
• AI-based screening tools,
• data-driven clinical decision support systems,
• tele-neuro-psychiatric hubs at regional centers.

India is currently working on a vision of preventive and holistic health, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, while addressing a series of post-budget webinars.

The Prime Minister highlighted that sectors like health, education, skill, tourism, sports, and culture are the primary vehicles for meeting the goal of “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas-Fulfilling Aspirations of People”.

Also Read: GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Could Now Treat Addiction, Says Study

“India is today working on a grand vision for preventive and holistic health. In the past few years, the country's health infrastructure has been strengthened. Hundreds of new medical colleges have opened in districts,” PM Modi said.

“Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, access to health services has been extended to every village via wellness centers,” he added.

Emphasizing the vision of preventive and holistic health, the Prime Minister noted the rapid strengthening of health infrastructure and the global popularity of Yoga and Ayurveda.

Demand For Care Economy And Telemedicine

PM Modi specifically drew attention to the emerging 'Care Economy' and the rising demand for caregivers globally, urging experts to develop new training models to empower the youth.

"The population of senior citizens will increase in the country in the coming decade. In many countries of the world, there is a high demand for caregivers,” he said.

"Hence, skill-based employment opportunities for lakhs of youth in the health sector are present. I request that new training models be developed," PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the success of telemedicine in reaching remote areas. However, he stressed the need for further simplifying the user experience and building greater public awareness.

"I believe there is still a need to increase awareness and ease of use in telemedicine," PM Modi said.

Experts Push For Emergency Healthcare Services in India

In a separate session, health experts, policymakers, public health experts, and clinicians deliberated on the Budget Announcement under Para 88: “Strengthening of Emergency & Trauma Care Centers”.

In the Union Budget 2026–27, the Government had announced a major initiative to strengthen emergency healthcare services across the country.

The Government also proposed to strengthen and increase emergency and trauma care capacities by 50 per cent in District Hospitals by establishing emergency and trauma care centers.

The experts highlighted the country's significant burden of emergency medical conditions, including road traffic injuries, heart attacks, strokes, poisonings, burns, snake bites, etc.

While these require timely intervention within the “golden hour” to prevent deaths and long-term disability, emergency beds constitute only a small share of total hospital bed capacity in many district hospitals, highlighting the need for strengthening emergency care infrastructure and systems, the experts noted.

The discussion also highlighted the role of implementation research and data-driven approaches in identifying gaps and improving emergency care systems at the district level.

“Strengthening emergency and trauma care at the district level requires a systematic and outcome-oriented approach that goes beyond infrastructure to focus on performance and service delivery,” said Dr. V.K. Paul, member, NITI Aayog, who moderated the session.

Dr. Paul stressed the need for greater convergence across hospital systems, ambulance networks, and government programs, supported by digital technologies and real-time monitoring.

He also called for continued skilling and upskilling of emergency care personnel to build a strong and responsive emergency care system.

Bruce Willis is alive. Last week, a death hoax of Bruce Willis have circulated, however, his representatives confirmed on March 7, Saturday that the news is fabricated. "He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet," his official representative stated. In fact, in the coming 19th of the month, The Die Hard star will turn 71. Bruce Willis is currently at his home with his family and is living with frontotemporal dementia. He is continuing into third year living with the condition.

Bruce Willis Health Update: Time Line Of Diagnosis

In March 2022, fans were shocked by a family statement revealing Willis had been diagnosed with aphasia. The announcement was brief but clear: the condition was affecting his cognitive abilities and making it impossible for him to continue his acting career. However, aphasia was just one piece of the puzzle.

By February 2023, a more specific diagnosis emerged. The Willis family confirmed Bruce was dealing with frontotemporal dementia, a degenerative condition that often begins with language difficulties and eventually affects decision-making, emotional regulation, and behavior.

Read: Bruce Willis Health Update: A Diagnostic Timeline From Aphasia To Dementia

"Challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces," the family shared at the time, emphasizing that the condition affects far more than speech.

Unlike Alzheimer’s disease, FTD tends to strike earlier, often in one’s 50s or 60s—and can progress quickly. It affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, areas associated with language, behavior, and executive function. Currently, there is no cure.

Read: Bruce Willis’ Wife Emma Says He Is Unaware of His Dementia Diagnosis

What Is Frontotemporal Dementia?

Frontotemporal dementia is a less prevalent type of dementia that mainly occurs in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It tends to affect behavior, personality, language, and movement more than memory, particularly in its initial stages.

In contrast to Alzheimer's, which generally strikes older individuals, FTD can hit at an earlier age—sometimes as young as 40. The symptoms can range from changes in personality, emotional flatness, or the inability to show empathy to impulsiveness, so it is especially hard for spouses and children to cope.

Emma's case illustrates how abrupt and disrupting this diagnosis can be—not only for the patient but for caregivers as well.

Whereas Bruce Willis' diagnosis hit global headlines, the mental toll taken by Emma, his caregiver, was largely in the background—until she decided to come forward.

Caregiving is a respectable position, but it's also a challenging and thankless one. For those who are caring for loved ones with dementia or other chronic illnesses, the stress of "keeping it all together" can result in a condition called caregiver burnout.

"Caring for someone is the most intimate and demanding work of love," Emma explained, "but when you're not noticed or supported, it begins to undermine your health—mentally and physically."