Madagascar plague death toll rises to 195 and cases have jumped nearly 3% in just three days as 'worst outbreak in 50 years' of the medieval disease hits 'crisis' point
- World Health Organization data shows 2,267 people have now been infected
- Scientists are worried the 'worst outbreak in 50 years' has reached 'crisis' point
- Ten countries have been placed on high alert as experts fear it will reach Africa
- Other scientists fear this year's outbreak will reach well beyond mainland Africa
- Two thirds of all the cases have been caused by the airborne pneumonic plague
- This can spread through coughing, sneezing or spitting and kill within 24 hours
The Madagascar plague death toll has risen
to 195 with a jump of almost 3 per cent jump in cases in just three
days, official figures reveal.
Some
2,267 people have been struck down by the 'medieval disease'; a rise of
64 casualties since the 2,203 cases reported last Friday, according to
World Health Organization (WHO) statistics.
International
aid workers are desperately battling to contain the 'crisis', which has
been described as the 'worst outbreak in 50 years' and has prompted 10
nearby African countries to be placed on high alert by the WHO.
Experts
have expressed fears doctors are so focused on controlling the plague
epidemic, they may neglect to participate in nationwide vaccination
programmes against polio, which may trigger an outbreak of the
paralysing condition.
Doctors and
nurses may also be unable to treat plague patients if they themselves
become infected, which would inevitably cause the outbreak to spiral
further out of control, experts add.
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