Forgotten in the West, where it wreaked havoc in the Middle Ages, however, the plague has not disappeared. It is now endemic in parts of the world, including the United States, and it has soared this year in Madagascar.
Although now under control, the plague epidemic has been frankly unusual this year in Madagascar.
Each year, more than 300 cases of plague are recorded in Madagascar during the epidemic season, which runs from September to April. But this year, 2,348 Malagasy people were infected with the bacteria. Yersinia pestis, and of these, 202 succumbed to the disease.
According to figures from the World Health Organization, every year in the world, around 600 people contract the plague and from 2010 to 2015, there were 3,248 cases of plague in the world, of which 584 were fatal.
A more serious epidemic
Unlike in previous years, three quarters of the patients this year were affected by the pulmonary form of plague, clearly more serious and more fatal than the bubonic form.
If the bubonic form is transmitted by fleas which develop on rodents, the pulmonary form is transmitted by the drops of saliva which are especially expelled at the time of coughing. Lung infection is responsible for an overwhelming illness, which can kill between twenty-four and seventy-two hours.
Another novelty in 2017, the epidemic in Madagascar was almost general and it affected large cities, in particular the capital, Antananarivo, while it only affected rural areas in other years.
An epidemic under control
Aided by the WHO, the government response has been vigorous.
He closed schools and universities to undertake disinfection and limit the spread. Health barriers were installed on the main roads of the country and at the entrance to meeting places and agents were responsible for monitoring the temperature of travelers. The government has also set up a toll-free number and distributed prevention messages. This health response has been effective.
On November 27, the Ministry of Health officially proclaimed “the end of this epidemic of urban pulmonary plague”, but surveillance must absolutely continue.
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