'Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that he asked Usama b. Zaid: What have you heard from Messenger of Allah ﷺ about plague? Thereupon Usama said: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Plague is a calamity which was sent to Bani Isra'il or upon those who were before you. So when you hear that it has broken out in a land, don't go to it, and when it has broken out in the land where you are, don't run out of it. In the narration transmitted on the authority of Abu Nadr there is a slight variation of wording.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، وَأَبِي النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَسْأَلُ، أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ مَاذَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الطَّاعُونِ فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " الطَّاعُونُ رِجْزٌ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أُرْسِلَ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَوْ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ " . وَقَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ " لاَ يُخْرِجُكُمْ إِلاَّ فِرَارٌ مِنْهُ " .