Madagascar is worst affected, with health chiefs revealing more than 1,300 cases have now been reported in the area.
World Health Organisation figures show two thirds of those with the plague are suspected to be pneumonic, which is described as the “deadliest and most rapid form of plague”.
Pneumonic plague can spread through coughing, and can kill within 24 hours. Madagascar sees regular outbreaks of the disease, but this current outbreak has caused alarm due to the speed with which it has spread and a high number of fatalities.
Where is the plague?
In the wake of the outbreak, the FCO have updated their travel advice for the Seychelles.
They say: “There is currently an outbreak of pneumonic and bubonic plague in Madagascar. Direct flights from Madagascar to Seychelles are suspended until further notice.
“The Ministry of Health in Seychelles is currently imposing a six day quarantine on all individuals arriving from Madagascar. You should contact your flight operator or travel agent if you intend to travel this route.”
Travel advice for Madacasgar
Issuing travel advice for Madagascar, the FCO wrote: “There is currently an outbreak of pneumonic and bubonic plague in Madagascar; outbreaks of plague tend to be seasonal and occur mainly during the rainy season, with around 500 cases reported annually; whilst outbreaks are not uncommon in rural areas, the latest outbreak has seen an increase in reported cases in urban areas, including Antananarivo.”
A WHO official told MailOnline: “The risk of the disease spreading is high at national level… because it is present in several towns and this is just the start of the outbreak.”
Travel Health Pro, the portal travellers are advised to look at by the FCO, advises the number of new cases of pulmonary plague is currently declining.
Travel Health Pro said: “As of 29 October 2017, the number of new cases of pulmonary plague is declining in all active areas across the country.
“From 1 August to 27 October 2017, a total of 1,554 suspected cases of plague, (113 deaths), were reported in 28 districts. Of these, 985 (63 per cent) were clinically classified as pulmonary plague, 230 (15 per cent) were bubonic plague, 1 was septicaemic, and 338 were unspecified. Of the 985 clinical cases of pneumonic plague, 25 per cent were confirmed.”
The FCO have not yet changed their advice for Mauritius.
How to prevent catching the plague
People should avoid direct contact with infected body fluids and tissues. Aid workers and the like should, when handling potentially infected patients and collecting specimens, apply standard precautions.
When plague spread by rodents – zoonotic plague – is present in an environment, travellers should take precautions against flea bites and not handle animal carcasses.
Signs and symptoms of the plague
People infected with plague usually develop acute febrile disease – a fever – with other non-specific systemic symptoms after an incubation period of one to seven days. This can include a sudden onset of fever, chills, head and body aches, and weakness, vomiting and nausea.
The World Health Organisation explain there are two main forms of plague infection: bubonic and pneumonic.
Bubonic plague – this is the most common form of plague and is caused by the bite of an infected flea. The plague infection enters at the bite and travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node. This node then becomes inflamed, tense and painful – and is called a ‘bubo’.
Infected nodes can – if left to advance – turn into open sores filled with pus. It’s important to mention that human to human transmission of bubonic plague is rare.
Pneumonic plague – a lung-based plague, is the most severe form of plague. Shockingly, the incubation period can be as short as 24 hours for the pneumonic plague.
Human-to-human contact can transfer this form of plague via droplets and untreated pneumonic plague, if not diagnosed and treated early, can be fatal.
However, recovery rates are high if detected and treated in time (within 24 hours of onset of symptoms).
