Bubonic Plague

This is really scary. The counts of infected is going up in an alarming tempo, and the fact that it reached Tana is probably making this an epidemic we have not seen in decades.

Yet again, we see the the lack of competence and willingness and allocation of funds of the malagasy government to contain the spreading. It is infected in all parts of Analamanga now.

madshus---I agree

Here in Mahajanga the schools are closed for one week so that cleaning can begin.  But my school is out in the bush community, Baobab School --- we are required to use DDT to spray in and around the school.  There are some problems with this because DDT was outlawed some 50 years ago on an international level.  DDT also causes cancer among other illnesses for people , children and wildlife and can remain active in the soil for 30 years. 
Even though the Minister of health and education want this action to clean the schools there is no killing agent available in the stores, nothing is supplied to the private sector to kill this plague but we are assumed to cover all costs for a lack of foresight that continues every year in this problem of the plague.

This news is making international news and I saw this on BBC this morning.  This is causing some panic in the tourist industry now that this news is international.  I checked out the websites of lonely planet and the worst of all travel sites, Trip advisor and the low life travel guides that frequent those commercial venues are all positive about travel here and that the plague is nothing to be concerned about.   They downplay the problem rather than give information on how to be safe.   

I have come to learn that Travel guides are for the most part predators on tourists and the worst offenders are the ones that are of the same tribe as the tourists, as in the the tourists thinking they have found a friend or a kindred soul when they are really being fleeced of their dollars/money.  This is another subject called travelers vs tourists....

I have heard of 6 deaths of the plague in Mahajanga Hospital which would be a first for us in my 15 years in this country.   

The season has only begun and usually gets worse when the rainy season is here and the rats seek shelter indoors.  In the past it has been in areas around Tana and mostly confined to prisons. 

In our case we sprayed Pyribex 480ec that contains Chlorpyriphos-ethyl   and it was certainly a bug free and mosquito free evening.  about 30,000 ariary for one liter.

We also use an active ingredient Dichlorvos for indoors-  less strong but still lethal according to the label and the small pictures of all the creatures it kills including fleas and scorpions.

Thanks for the tips

Orange News reports. 
10.00 - PESTE: According to the latest bulletin of the BNGRC dated October 13 at 8 pm, plague cases were detected in 35 districts of Madagascar. 561 cases were reported, including 415 cases of pulmonary plague, 145 cases of bubonic plague and one unspecified case. There were 286 cases of plague in Antananarivo Renivohitra and 70 cases in Toamasina. The plague has killed 57 people since August 1st.

The Schools are closed for another week here in Mahajanga.  Maybe Oct 23 they will open again. Stay tuned. 

CNN in the USA has reported the Plague with a short interview with President Hery.

The troubling part is the pulmonary part of this plague- and in my opinion this is a good time to stop this anachronistic ritual of kissing each other on three cheeks.  I am not a big fan of shaking hands either has this has been shown to spread disease, hand to rubbing eyes.  We developed language to covey our emotions and thoughts through words.

In one sentence it is reported that there is no fear of this spreading beyond Madagascar and then in another report there is the story of how one person who traveled from Madagascar to the Seychelles by airplane died.   

As I traveled through Mahajanga town this morning I was happy to see a real effort to clean the canals by dozens upon dozens  of workers ,  got to give it to those folks who are working under dangerous conditions I hope they are safe after all this and their close contact with the environment that is the home of the rats and potential carriers of Peste.

"The troubling part is the pulmonary part of this plague- and in my opinion this is a good time to stop this anachronistic ritual of kissing each other on three cheeks.  I am not a big fan of shaking hands either has this has been shown to spread disease, hand to rubbing eyes.  We developed language to covey our emotions and thoughts through words."

I could not agree more. I stopped this ritual for my employees years ago, it is like doing an effort in spreading whatever you could be carrying, not only the plague.  I can not stick it under a chair, that hygiene knowledge could be better for the huge part of the Malagasy population. I have no employees that has not a masters degree, but I have had to have the talk about cleaning hands after toilet ex many times.

The Seychelles is reacting, correctly, as I see it. Their economy is so based on tourism, that a small outbrake can ruin them.  The spread to Seychelles came after a basketball event in Mahamasina, with quite a lot of people attending. (And I think he died in Madagascar, with one confirmed case back to Seychelles)

I am involved in the tourism industry to some extent, and cancellations from foreign tourist for the rest of the year is almost 100%. If the plague is not getting under control, we could see a 2009 level on tourism for the next year, making thousands of people loosing their jobs, and toruism an tourism infrastructure investments to a new low. Seems like Mada will never get a break.  Elections next year as well that will create turmoil.

Some rumors, says, that the government is providing false data, limit the efforts, to gain funds to put in their pockets.  I can not say that it is true, but the politicians I know , have only one interest, and that is filling their pockets.

The information from the government, and the ministry of health is poor. They did not give an update for 3 days now. And, I would think that is a bad sign. I also know that they have been contacting independent bloggers to stop reporting on the spread.  I have had some meetings the last week with some embassies for completely other reasons, but it has come up as a subject. And, I have yet to hear anyone thinking the government is doing what they can here.

I might be negative, but it is embarrassing that this is what the world will know about us by typing Madagascar on google.

On Wednesday, Madagascar's minister of public health rallied doctors and paramedics in a packed auditorium at the country's main hospital, saying they're not allowed to go on vacation.

A plague outbreak in Madagascar has killed at least 74 people and 805 cases have been reported so far. The government has deployed resources to curb the disease, but many obstacles remain.

Follow  some stories also on  @Madagascarsmart

FULL report from France 24 international news
http://www.france24.com/en/20171017-mad … th-disease
http://www.france24.com/en/20171017-mad … th-disease
Mercredi, le Ministre malgache de la santé publique se sont ralliés médecins et paramédicaux dans une salle comble au principal hôpital du pays, en disant : ils ne sont pas autorisés à aller en vacances.
Une épidémie de peste à Madagascar a tué au moins 74 personnes et 805 cas ont été signalés jusqu'à présent. Le gouvernement a déployé des ressources pour lutter contre la maladie, mais de nombreux obstacles demeurent. Rapport complet de l’actualité internationale France 24
http://www.france24.com/en/20171017-mad … th-disease
http://www.france24.com/en/20171017-mad … th-disease

https://twitter.com/ISARIC1/status/9198 … 44/photo/1

Above image is a photo of most of  the hotspots for the plague in Madagascar