Worse than the Disease

Via ProMED-mail: The Monitor reports nine deaths from [pneumonic] bubonic plague in Masindi, Uganda:

The first measure taken in Masindi was to stop people from sleeping on the floor.
Dr Zaramba said this reduced the prevalence of rats. Smearing floors with cow dung also helps contain the spread of plague as it discourages rats from entering domestic environments.

At least it will discourage humans from sleeping on the floor. PlagueBlog recommends rat poison.