Madagascar plague: WHO in huge release of antibiotics
Source: BBC
2 hours ago
More than a million doses of antibiotics have been delivered by the World Health Organization to fight an outbreak of plague in Madagascar which has killed at least 33 people.
The authorities have also banned prison visits in the two worst affected areas to prevent the spread of the disease.
The risk of contamination is high in overcrowded and unsanitary jails.
There has recently been criticism of the government's perceived slow reaction to the outbreak.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41537193
From CBC
Posted: Oct 05, 2017 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 05, 2017 11:41 AM ET
Elisah Raharimalala and her daughter wear face masks as they make their way around the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, a city of more than a million people. They're wearing the mouth and nose coverings to protect themselves not from air pollution or the common cold but from the plague, a disease that in the West is more commonly associated with the Middle Ages.
"We are worried because we live in the less-pleasant part of the town," said Raharimalala. "Our place is clean, but in the communities around us, there are dead rats."
In 14th-century Europe, the plague was known as the Black Death and by some estimates caused an estimated 50 million deaths during that period.
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But now, a deadly outbreak of plague is spreading across Madagascar, a country that already had the highest number of cases of the disease in the world.
And it's spreading fast — faster than it has in the past in Madagascar, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/madagascar-plague-outbreak-1.4329327
= new reply since forum marked as read
The Black Plague killed somewhere between 1/4 to a 1/2 of Europe's population back in the 14th century. If a plague or virus did the same to the worlds population now, it might not be a bad thing for the planet (though it would suck for the humans).
A harsh truth is that a sharp reduction in human population would be the best thing for the planet
The UN is already spread thin just trying to keep millions from starvation. Plus, wealthy Western right-wing governments are balking at increased funding. Instead, they want all of the world's social ills such as famine and disease outbreaks to be paid for by charities, not by governments.
I feel the public needs to be more aware of the UN's work and financial needs so they might pitch in. That's difficult in the US because of the Republican and RW media's constant demonizing of the UN for many years. There's a number of good charities around the globe that address this need, but many of those are struggling, too. IMO, governments around the world need to back away from wars and step up to the plate on basic social needs.
