# And now Plague. With a 50% chance of pestilence and famine coming out of the Southwest at twelve miles per hour **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422 "2020-08-18T16:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/1 "2020-08-18T16:14:12Z")
> **[California's first plague case in 5 years is confirmed in South Lake Tahoe](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-17/californias-first-plague-case-in-5-years-is-confirmed-in-south-lake-tahoe)** > > El Dorado County officials said Monday that the California Department of Public Health notified them of the positive test of a resident who is under medical care while recovering at home. The good news is that treatment works well to deal with the old fashion plague, most people get better within a week or two with antibiotics. But without treatment, most people with the plague die. > **[Bubonic Plague: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention](https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/plague-faq#1)** > > Bubonic plague isn’t history - it’s still around and still dangerous. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of the 'black death.' ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/2 "2020-08-18T17:42:20Z")
Dangerous but treatable, and never eradicated. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/3 "2020-08-18T17:49:17Z")
We had several raccoons die for unknown reasons last week in my neighbor’s garden. Animal control said they do not routinely test for cause of death - then helpfully pointed out that plague was a (remote) possibility. In the western U.S., if you’re ever around sick or dead small mammals (especially rodents) it’s worth knowing the early symptoms - fever, headache, weakness. With wild animals, I tend to think first of rabies, only really a concern if you’re bitten; and the way things are now, with these symptoms you’d obviously assume you had COVID-19. CDC has the death rate at 11% even with treatment, but with so few cases in developed countries maybe that doesn’t take into account the most modern standards of care. > **[Plague FAQ | CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/plague/faq/index.html#mortality)** > > Answers to frequently asked questions about plague. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/4 "2020-08-18T17:52:48Z")
Plague is always around, although I appreciate the thought. I was thinking of starting something similar about CA erupting into flame. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/5 "2020-08-18T17:54:23Z")
COVID-19 is just too mainstream now, hipsters quarantine because they’ve got the plague. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/6 "2020-08-18T18:04:25Z")
Rodents, specifically deer mice (freaky alien beings!) In the SW US carry Hanta Virus. Nasty stuff. By the time you know you have it, you’re dead. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/7 "2020-08-18T18:24:43Z")
IMHO, there are way too many people and we are completely messing things up. Mother Earth is fighting back. Humans are the ammo, and the targets. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/8 "2020-08-18T21:29:27Z")
I dearly loathe 2020. Between the current plague and fires, plus a couple of viruses in China that are apparently being watched for possible spread, this year doesn’t seem to have run out of crap to throw at us yet. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/9 "2020-08-18T22:28:35Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Rodents, specifically deer mice (freaky alien beings!) In the SW US carry Hanta Virus. Nasty stuff. By the time you know you have it, you’re dead. > > ~VOW Well, actually the case fatality rate (according to the CDC) typically is 38%. But it’s definitely a nasty infection. Mild hijack: California M.D. Thomas Cowan has a book coming out next month titled “The Contagion Myth: Why Viruses (including “Coronavirus”) Are Not the Cause of Disease”. It argues that not only does Covid-19 not infect humans\*, viruses overall do not cause disease. You see, germ theory is bunk. This is the same guy who in earlier books assured us that vaccines are responsible for autoimmune diseases, the heart is not a pump, and that cancer is caused by abnormal intracellular water structure. Don’t miss out, order your copy now. [https://www.amazon.com/Contagion-Myth-Viruses-including-Coronavirus/dp/1510764623](https://www.amazon.com/Contagion-Myth-Viruses-including-Coronavirus/dp/1510764623) \*He blames 5G, “electrosmog” and “toxic living conditions” for what we erroneously think is coronavirus infection. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/10 "2020-08-18T22:56:45Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > He blames 5G, “electrosmog” and “toxic living conditions” for what we erroneously think is coronavirus infection. Sounds like he’s well-qualified for the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/11 "2020-08-19T00:51:03Z")
Some people are still making money from that Miasma, I see. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/12 "2020-08-19T01:15:12Z")
When I was a kid in San Diego, and we’d go out to certain wooded areas of SD County, there’d be signs warning you not to touch the squirrels due to risk of plague transmission. It’s certainly not a new problem in the southwest. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/13 "2020-08-19T01:16:08Z")
I see CA has a Senator-in-waiting. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/14 "2020-08-19T02:03:33Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I dearly loathe 2020 Sammy J and Randy: 2020 Mid Year Performance Review [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TNf5dZAvF4I/maxresdefault.jpg "2020: Mid-Year Performance Review | Sammy J S3 (ep23)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNf5dZAvF4I) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/15 "2020-08-19T02:06:54Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > \*He blames 5G, “electrosmog” and “toxic living conditions” for what we erroneously think is coronavirus infection. I rather suspect windmills myself. They’re commonly seen in the hills around here. ---
**Author:** ![superwombat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superwombat/32/16616_2.png) [@superwombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superwombat)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/16 "2020-08-19T02:08:00Z")
So, stupid me just realized the plague is its own thing, not necessarily “a plague” of “something” e.g “a plague of rats/locusts/whatever” Hoping I’m not alone in this 😕 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/17 "2020-08-19T02:36:33Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > We had several raccoons die for unknown reasons last week in my neighbor’s garden. Animal control said they do not routinely test for cause of death - then helpfully pointed out that plague was a (remote) possibility. If it helps any, sick raccoons that live where dogs live are very likely to have picked up distemper on account of humans are stupid and allow their dogs to go unvaxxed. Distemper seriously fucks over a raccoon–I had a distempered raccoon have to be removed from my yard by animal control and they said that around here (Pacific Northwest) sick raccoons are almost always distemper victims. That’s much less scary for humans, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/18 "2020-08-19T02:46:20Z")
> [@superwombat](#): > > So, stupid me just realized the plague is its own thing, not necessarily “a plague” of “something” e.g “a plague of rats/locusts/whatever” > > Hoping I’m not alone in this 😕 I am under the impression that it is–it’s just that one got so bad that it got labeled “the Plague.” And even its full name would be more like “The Bubonic Plague.” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/19 "2020-08-19T05:25:41Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I dearly loathe 2020. Between the current plague and fires, plus a couple of viruses in China that are apparently being watched for possible spread, this year doesn’t seem to have run out of crap to throw at us yet. Two of those viruses (_virii_?) being watched are the plague and rabies. Yeah, 2020 seems to have decided that the list of plagues and other disasters is not a vocabulary list, but rather a buffet menu. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422/20 "2020-08-19T05:34:30Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > This is the same guy who in earlier books assured us that vaccines are responsible for autoimmune diseases, the heart is not a pump, \ What does Cowan think the heart is? And how, does he believe the blood gets ~~pumped~~ moved through the body? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-plague-with-a-50-chance-of-pestilence-and-famine-coming-out-of-the-southwest-at-twelve-miles-per-hour/918422.md?page=2)