By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the number of malaria cases in the island country has risen in 2020 compared to 2019 numbers. Since the beginning of the year, malaria cases have increased with 663,558 cases recorded since January, including 398 deaths; compared to 402,385 cases in 2019 during the same period.
In some better news, after reporting huge numbers of measles cases in 2018 into 2019, measles cases have decreased with only 34 cases reported since January 2020. This is thanks to increased vaccination and surveillance efforts.
According to the general secretary of the Madagascar Ministry of Health, between 300 and 600 suspected cases are reported each year, with about 30 cases of pulmonary plague and 10 to 70 deaths.
In more good news from Madagascar, the number of monthly plague cases since November 2019 has remained below the last 5-year average. Since 5 August 2019, 179 plague cases have been reported in 19 districts with a majority of bubonic form (164 cases). Only one case was recorded in April, the month at which the plague season ends.
Concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government declared a state of national emergency and ordered the total confinement of Antananarivo and Toamasina cities on 22 March, and of Fianarantsoa on 5 April 2020.
To date, Madagascar has reported 2512 confirmed cases, including 26 deaths.
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