The other big difference? Information flow. “Those were the days before the advent of social media and the internet, so rumours and panic ruled,” says Vakil. “Many newspapers carried exaggerated death tolls, sparking further panic. Tetracycline, an antibiotic for plague treatment, disappeared from chemist shops not just in Gujarat, but also Bombay and Delhi. Schools and public places were shut down in Surat and even in Delhi for about five days, while people stocked up on surgical masks and essential items. However, within days, the Surat administration started distributing the medicine and food to all remaining residents. Plague cases were identified, and antibiotics were given to everyone in the neighbourhood, regardless of whether they were infected or not.”