LANZHOU -- Subei county in Northwest China's Gansu province on Wednesday lifted a quarantine for plague after local health officials said they believe they have controlled the disease from spreading.

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.