The bl@ck pl@gue in the 1300s originated from China. It came over to Western Europe on the trade ships, which if you look at the pattern, you'd see that it followed the trade routes (follow the traders and the paths they took). It was carried by the fleas on the vermin on the ships that carried it -- rats, mice, etc.

One reason it spread so well is back then people thought bathing was unhealthy. So many people had fleas (among other things). The people that avoided the infected areas or/and bathed often were spared. There were other reasons too - but this was one of them.

History is repeating itself.

In all that time, the world still hasn't figured out -- the best way NOT to catch the plague is to not bring plague victims into your home or country. Leave them where they are. If they recover, bring them in. If they don't recover, then you saved yourself from catching what they have.

This could have been completely avoided if everyone would have stayed in China. Why is it we need to import people who may be infected? Yes, I get it, they are citizens of the countries they are returning to. But if you may be infected you need to be quarantined somewhere for a month to ensure you aren't. And if you are, you need to receive treatment there instead of bringing whatever it is home and spreading it around.

We should have set up a quarantine zone on an island somewhere - I am surprised we don't have anything like that setup. We could set up hospitals like hotels and have people quarantined there for the duration. It wouldn't need to be horrible or uncomfortable.

But nope, we bring everyone home and surprise the disease spreads and spreads and spreads.