The death toll in the northwestern China town experiencing an outbreak of pneumonic plague now stands at three. Even more ominously: Residents are reporting that villagers are trying to flee.

Today in things that might kill you: "Thousands of people have been placed under quarantine in a town in northwest China after a man died of pneumonic plague and 11 others were confirmed infected with the deadly lung infection, health authorities said." Pneumonic plague, the story continues, can kill its victims "within 24 hours of infection."

Perhaps jealous of all the attention received by the swine and their flu, New York mosquitoes have declared the annual summer performance of West Nile virus "open for business!"