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The fatality rate was even higher in China, where an estimated 25 million died from it. It took 100 years for Europe and China to recover, and a longer period of time for Islamic countries and the Middle East. Egypt was hit particularly hard, with some areas not recovering for 500 years.
The germ theory of disease had not been discovered, so the means of transmission and cure were a mystery to contemporary doctors. After the 3-7 day [[incubation period]], the sufferer would experience initial symptoms of chills, fever, diarrhea, headaches, and the swelling of the infected lymph nodes. If it was untreated, 30-75% of those who contracted the plague died.
The plague weakened the prestige of the Catholic Church, which appeared helpless to stop it. Because of the gruesome nature of the disease, irrational fantasies became rampant in mideval europe. Jews were subsequently blamed by the Catholic Church for poisoning the wells of Europe in order to kill Christian children.
