Following the announcement by the Chinese authorities yesterday, Wednesday, of a recorded case of bubonic plague, concerns arose about the possibility of this disease spreading widely.

Plague is an infectious and deadly disease if untreated, caused by bacteria called "Yersinia," which live in certain animals, especially rodents and fleas.

The "bubonic plague" is the most common type of this disease, accompanied by symptoms such as swelling of the lymph nodes in areas like the groin, armpits, and neck, which are painful and develop rapidly in the first week after infection.

On its official website, the World Health Organization mentioned that the symptoms of infected individuals are usually similar to those of "flu" after an incubation period of 3 to 7 days.

Patients usually suffer from a sudden onset of fever, headache, body aches, weakness, vomiting, and nausea.

This type of plague became famous in the Middle Ages and was known as the "Black Death," due to the black color of gangrene that may accompany the disease and cause the death of body parts, such as fingers and toes.

Up to 200 million people were killed when the "Black Death" swept through the Middle East and Europe between 1346 and 1353, wiping out half of London’s population and up to 60 percent of Europeans.

Experts say the disease is caused by bacteria and therefore "it is easily treatable with antibiotics."