 In the 1990s, a South American city is rocked by the imminent outbreak of a plague. While many attempt to flee the city, Dr Bernard Rieux sends his sick wife away and does his best to care for the plague s victims. The plague means different things to different people: to the doctor, it s a disease to be cured. To a pair of French journalists, it s a breaking news story. To religious leaders, it s punishment for sins. As the sense of isolation and hopelessness grow, Dr Rieux and his associates begin to question their previously-accepted feelings of justice, loneliness, and love.