Why 'Plague Season' Is A Big Worry In Madagascar This Year
The number of cases has prompted a ban on public gatherings — and concern from the World Health Organization. The disease is spreading in cities and has claimed 30 lives so far.
This past weekend, basketball players from island nations across the Indian Ocean converged in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, to face off in the regional championships. But no one was to cheer on the teams. The bleachers were empty — because of the plague.
The modern-day plague is caused by the same bacterium, Yersinia pestis, that caused the Black Death in Europe. It lives in fleas and rodents all over the world and is typically spread to humans by the bite of an infected flea. It is treatable with common antibiotics — but without proper attention it can be deadly.
In some parts of 280 and 600 infections annually.
