In just a quick update on the plague case count in the Madagascar outbreak, health officials reported an additional 68 cases Friday bringing the total count to 1365 since Aug. 1.
106 deaths have been reported.
Of these, 915 cases (67%) were clinically classified as pneumonic plague, 275 (20.1%) were bubonic plague, one case was septicemic plague, and 174 cases were unspecified.
A total of 54 healthcare workers have contracted plague since the beginning of the outbreak. Training of healthcare workers on infection prevention and control (IPC) has started on 19 October 2017, with 45 staff trained. The training will continue on 20 and 21 October 2017.
The regional emergency operations centres (EOC) are fully operational in five hotspot areas, including Antananarivo, Tamatave, Mahajunga, Fionarantsoa, and Fenerive.
144 experts from WHO, CDC and other agencies have been deployed.
Nine countries and overseas territories have been identified as priority countries in the African region for plague preparedness and readiness by virtue of having trade and travel links to Madagascar. These countries and overseas territories include Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, La Réunion (France), Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Why are these plague figures all over the place, differing by as much as 40%.
On Friday 20 October we were told there had been 1297 cases and 106 deaths. Some sites are claiming 124 deaths by 23 October not 106.
I wish there were some reliable source of plague cases, and deaths because the way it stands at the moment there is no way of knowing if plague is increasing or decreasing.