Medical staff are disinfecting the region and tracking down people who have been in close contact with those affected by the plague.

The local administration has quarantined the town and its vicinity. The area has adequate essential supplies and the preventive measures have not disrupted normal life, officials said.

Those who have been to Ziketan town and its adjoining areas recently and showed symptoms of fever and coughing have been ordered to report to the nearest hospital.

Pneumonic plague is one of the deadliest infectious diseases. Patients can die within 24 hours after infection, says the World Health Organisation.