HEALTH TRAVEL ADVISORIES THOUGHT IMMINENT AS MADAGASCAR SUFFERS ANOTHER PLAGUE OUTBREAK
(Posted 16th September 2017)
A highly contagious pneumonic plague outbreak has been reported on the island of Madagascar with nearly 350 people undergoing treatment and at least 5 reported dead already. Some of those affected apparently contracted the disease from a fellow passenger on public transport, widening the risk of further yet undetected spread. Pneumonic plague transmission is airborne and once contracted is lethal unless treated within 24 hours.
Several parts of the island are said to be affected including the area of the capital Antananarivo.
One known tourism source on Madagascar was swift to respond saying it is very unlikely that any tourists visiting the resorts at Nosy Bey or traveling to the famous national parks are likely to come into contact with infected people but overseas travel organizers are said to exercise caution while foreign ministries in a number of countries are said to be preparing health travel advisories for their citizens planning to travel to Madagascar.
The disease was once known as the ‘Black Death‘, outbreaks of which decimated the population of Europe in the middle ages.
