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The deadly plague epidemic that has rocked the island of Madagascar could reach mainland Africa, a respected disease expert has warned.
The outbreak, which has been described the worst in 50 years' and has now reached "crisis" point, has prompted World Health Organization officials to place nine African countries on high alert.
South Africa, Seychelles, La Reunion, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Comoros and Mauritius have all been told to brace for potential cases in the coming weeks, reports Daily Mail. Today Paul Hunter, professor of health protection at the world-renowned University of East Anglia, is the first expert to predict it could reach mainland Africa.
I wonder, we will ever have a pandemic a la the Simian Flu from the new Planet of the Apes movies?
originally posted by: markovian
this is airborne... I really hope we put travel restrictions on Africa this time and not let people in. Pneumonic plauge is the name of it ... ether I missed it or was left out but looks far worse that normal plauge or Ebola
originally posted by: audubon
This really isn't as big a news story as it's being played. Plague is so common on Madagascar that they officially have a six-month "Plague Season". This year's outbreak is a bit worse than usual, so far. But it's only just started, and it's too soon to go predicting its course.
As far as I know, the plague hasn't spread to mainland Africa during any of the previous epidemics (again, remember this epidemic happens predictably every six months). Or - if it ever has - then it hasn't caused enough panic for media to mention it. Madagascar is naturally "quarantined" already, being an island, and it has very poor travel links that are easily shut down.
As for why on Earth anyone would choose to live on an island where there's a bubonic plague epidemic for half the year, every year, I cannot imagine.
originally posted by: research100
they always got the bubonic plague..this year it is pneumatic (in the lungs) plague spread by coughing....easier to spread..important part you left out...the world bank released an extra 1 million dollars to fight this....
originally posted by: Denoli
Hope that dumb bitch nurse doesn't go to help them ,and end up bringing it back with her like last time .
originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: starwarsisreal
The flu of 1912 was close, the bubonic closer..
I’m not sure how many of the old ones were bacterial and thus made nearly irrelevant by antibiotics..
I say a WHO official asked that question, but without the POTA’s reference obviously lol, and he said
“ we have them all the time.. your welcome..”
Lol.
originally posted by: FredT
originally posted by: Denoli
Hope that dumb bitch nurse doesn't go to help them ,and end up bringing it back with her like last time .
Well being a nurse myself its what we do. You know "Help People" so you can chalk me up in the "Dumb bitch nurse" category.
Nursing and medicine in general is about experience. How to deal with things etc. Why do you think the Army sends its docs to say a major urban trauma center? To get that experience.