What Was the Black Death?
3. How Contagious Was the Black Death?
The black death was incredibly contagious. Small, highly populated towns were the most affected, while those in the countryside had fewer cases. In some cities, much more than half of the population had the plague at some point.
While fleas were one way the plague was spread, people could also become contaminated from bodily fluids and the bacteria was likely airborne as well. While flea bites likely caused bubonic or septicemic symptoms, coughing could spread the pneumonic version.
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