The city of Baotou in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has issued a level III warning for plague control and prevention on Thursday after one death was reported.

Authorities said the warning period starts on Thursday and will last until the end of 2020.

Local health officials have traced nine individuals who came into close contact with the person who died and 26 people who had contact with the nine individuals.

All 35 individuals have been quarantined and put under medical observation. None of them have shown fever symptoms. All of them have tested negative for the plague.

Officials have closed off Sujixin Village where the deceased patient resided and started an epidemiological investigation. No positive cases have been detected in the village.

Baotou's health experts urged the public to beef up self-protection as the city is at risk of people-to-people infections.