Old Egyptian Mummy With ‘Black Death’ DNA, May Have Spread by Fleas on Nile Rats Researchers have finally managed to confirm a long-standing theory that the deadly 'Black Death' plague was prevalent in ancient Egypt.

An over 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy who may have died of the bubonic plague marks the first case of the disease outside the Eurasian continent.

Usually transmitted by fleas hitching a ride on rodents, the bubonic plague attacks the lymphatic system, and initially results in flu-like symptoms a few days after infection. From there, things often get far more grim—and fatal.

Samples of 'The Black Death', which wiped out 50 million people in medieval times, were found in an Egyptian mummy

A team tested the ancient mummy dating back more than 3,000 years and discovered the bubonic plague in his bone tissue and intestines, making it the first found outside medieval Eurasia

Archaeologists in Italy have found one of the oldest known cases of the bubonic plague, which has caused millions of deaths in the past. According to Daily Mail, experts have discovered the virus Yersinia pestis in a 3,290-year-old Egyptian mummy, making it the first case of plague outside Eurasia.

Researchers found the first evidence of the bubonic plague outside of Europe and Asia in an Egyptian mummy housed in Turin, Italy.