Black Death MAPPED: TEN countries fall victim to plague as fears spread of contagion West
MALAWI is the tenth country in Africa to be put on high alert over fears the Black Death plague could be spreading.
There are fears that the latest plague could spread West
The nation has joined South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania, La Reunion and Comoros Islands to be the latest country to be put on high alert over fears the pneumonic plague could spread.
Authorities fear the plague could spread from Madagascar, where it has already killed 140 victims and spread to more than 2,000 people in the region, to neighbouring Malawi.
Some locals in Madagascar have blamed the plague outbreak on villagers digging up their ancestors for a burial ritual.
We have infection prevention materials ready and groups and teams ready to be activated if there is a trigger
Another theory claims more frequent forest fires have driven rats and their fleas out of the woods and into human settlements, where they infect humans.
Malawi’s health secretary Dr Dan Namarika said: “We have infection prevention materials ready and groups and teams ready to be activated if there is a trigger.”
The last plague cases in Malawi were reported in 2002 and the latest outbreak in Madagascar has been the worst in 50 years.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said its control measures will be in place until April 2018.
WHO have vowed to spend £3.8 million to try and stop the disease spreading by paying of local ambulances and disinfecting buildings where treatment is taking place.
A map shows where the disease has spread to
At least 2,034 suspected or confirmed cases of the Black Death have been reported in Madagascar since August.
However, officials believe the number of reported pneumonic cases in Madagascar is declining.
Dr Dan Namarika is Malawi's health secretary
Comparisons have been made between the Madagascar outbreak this year and the 14th century Black Death, which is one of the worst plague outbreaks in human history.
The Black Death is widely believed to have caused the population of the world to decrease from 450 million down to 350 million.
WHO says Madagascar plague is 'especially worrying'
The disease entails people developing ‘flu-like’ symptoms with the sudden onset of fever, chills, headaches, vomiting and nausea.
The pneumonic plague can be treated with antibiotics, but needs to be caught within the first 24 hours. Otherwise it could be deadly.