Subei County in northwest China's Gansu Province lifted a quarantine for plague after local health officials said they believe they have controlled the disease from spreading on Dec 20.

A person in Subei showing symptoms of plague died on Dec. 12. Further testing later that day confirmed the person died of bubonic plague and ensuing septicemic plague. The county was put under quarantine the following day.

Twelve people who had close contact with the victim have showed no symptoms of the plague in the past nine days, local health officials said.