Mediacom world news portal
Madagascar is facing an outbreak of pneumonic plague, a rare but highly lethal disease thought to be an affliction left behind in medieval times, is spreading rapidly across the African island nation.
The plague has claimed the lives of 33 people since Saturday, while an estimated 230 more have contracted the disease. According to the BBC, this particular strand is a pneumonic plague which is highly contagious and spreads via coughing.
Up to 400 Madagascans are infected with the plague each year, and the government has been widely criticized in the past for not acting fast enough in the event of an outbreak.
Last year, during what was a mild outbreak compared to the current pandemic, roughly 300 people got sick, and 63 lost their lives over the course of a year, according to Madagascar’s Ministry of Health.
Pneumonic plague is so deadly that, if left untreated, it can kill its host in less than 24 hours.