Black Death of African Ignorance

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

By Alexandra Thompson Health Reporter For Mailonline

Published:  21 November 2017

 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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