２０２０年４月３０日（Thu.） UKの感染者に関する数値は集計漏れがあって、修正後はドイツを上回るものになっています。感染者が165,000人強、死者は26,000人強で、スペインやフランスを抜いてイタリアのそれに接近しています。そんな中での“plague doctor”の話題なのです。（ニュースソース： RTE ４月２９日発 ）
＜原文の一部＞
Norfolk police seek person dressing as plague doctor
British police say they are keen to speak to a person who has been dressing as a 17th century plague doctor for walks during the coronavirus lockdown.
The unidentified individual has been spotted in the Norwich suburb of Hellesdon wearing a long black cloak, hat and pointed beak-like mask in recent weeks.
People posting on a community Facebook page said the outfit could frighten children, with Norfolk Police saying they wanted to give "words of advice" to the person.
Jade Gosbell, 21, took a photograph of the person walking across a recreation ground in Hellesdon.
"It was like 20 degrees, he was wearing a full black suit, it just looked ridiculous," she said.
"It's clearly for attention or something like that, because normal people just wouldn't do that."
She said: "I was sitting there and I was getting angry myself as my mum has a phobia of masks.
"I know that even in daylight if she was to go round the corner and bump into him she would be so scared.
"Kids would be frightened, my mum would be frightened, however some people really don't think it's that deep, they just think that he's having a laugh, he's just trying to find something to do with himself during isolation and lockdown."
She said she has not seen the person since a Facebook post drew attention to them, adding: "I was told that if I see him again to call the police."
In 17th century Europe, physicians who tended to plague victims wore a costume that has since taken on sinister overtones.
People mistakenly believed the outfits could purify poisonous air.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said: "Officers have been made aware of an individual who was seen walking around the Hellesdon area wearing a plague outfit.
"Although no offences have been committed at this time, officers are keen to trace the individual in order to provide words of advice about the implications of his actions on the local community.
"Should any further information come forward about any offences being committed, we will act accordingly."
（超抜粋）UKの警察は、ロックダウン中にも拘らず plague doctor のコスチュームで歩き回る人物を捜しています。これはUKのNorfolk地方でのことで、ここ２週間ほど続いているようです（注： BBC等のニュースも参照）。賛否様々のようですが、目撃者によると可笑しな格好をして歩いているとも言われています。（注： 他のサイトでは、クスクス笑えてしまうとか。子供が怖がるとか）
このplague doctor の格好は、１７世紀のペストが流行った時の臨時雇いの医者（ピンからキリまで）が、このような格好をしたと伝えられているのです。（注： 以下、原文を流し読みして下さい。）
（注： 関連ニュースでBBCが伝えるものはこちら ）
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COVID19は、正にペストの再来かと思わせる事態のようにも感じています。なので、主旨はわかりませんが、plague doctor のコスチュームをした御仁は、何がしかの訴えたいことがあったのかも知れませんね（または、イタズラ発想かも知れませんが）。
また、plague doctor に関しては、ネットで検索も可能です。
＊＊＊ 下の写真は、記事内容とは関係ありません。
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