Title : World Bank releases $5m to tackle Madagascar plague
link : World Bank releases $5m to tackle Madagascar plague
World Bank releases $5m to tackle Madagascar plague
- World Bank has answered desperate cries from aid workers for emergency funds
- Cases of the plague have spiraled by 37 per cent in less than a week, data shows
- The World Health Organization now states that there are 1,801 suspected cases
- At least 127 deaths have been recorded, but experts warn this could also rocket
- The 'unprecedented' outbreak has prompted warnings in nine nearby countries
An extra $5 million (£3.8m) has been released to control the deadly plague outbreak in Madagascar which has now reached 'crisis' point.
The World Bank has answered desperate cries from aid workers for emergency funding to tackle the 'worst outbreak in 50 years'.
Cases of the plague have spiraled by 37 per cent in less than a week, and the most recent statistics show at least 1,800 people are now infected and 127 deaths have been recorded.
Two thirds of cases have been caused by the airborne pneumonic plague, which can be spread through coughing, sneezing or spitting and kill within 24 hours.
The 'truly unprecedented' outbreak has prompted warnings it will spread to nine nearby countries - South Africa, Seychelles, La Reunion, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Comoros and Mauritius.
Leading scientists have predicted the extent of this year's outbreak may escalate, as it is stronger than the traditional bubonic form that rocks the nation each year.
Analysis of figures by MailOnline show the epidemic could strike a further 20,000 people in just a matter of weeks, if current trends continue.
Professor Johnjoe McFadden, a molecular geneticist at Surrey University, told MailOnline, that the plague is 'scary' and is predominantly a 'disease of the poor'.
He added: 'It's a terrible disease. It's broadly caused more deaths of humans than anything else, it's a very deadly pathogen.
More than 1,300 cases have now been reported in Madagascar, health chiefs have revealed, as nearby nations have been placed on high alert
Analysis of figures by MailOnline show the plague epidemic in Madagascar could strike a further 20,000 people in just a matter of weeks, if current trends continue
'It can be treated if you get the disease early enough, but when it hits developing countries, you really need to start within a day or so of the first symptoms.'
However, Professor McFadden warned in countries such as Madagascar, 'people often need to walk more than a day to receive proper medical treatment'.
He also stressed the pneumonic strain of plague which is currently blighting the island off the coast of Africa can still be deadly even with treatment.
'Famously it's transmitted from rats to mankind via rat fleas, which makes it a disease of the poorest and the most overcrowded,' Professor McFadden added.
'It is a disease of poverty where humans are being forced to live very close to rats and usually means poor sewage and poor living conditions.
'That's the root cause of why it's still a problem in the world. If we got rid of rats living close enough to mankind then we wouldn't have the disease.'
Figures show that at least 1,300 cases of the plague have been reported so far in this year's outbreak, with 93 official deaths recorded. However, UN estimates state the toll could be in excess of 120
Officials in Madagascar have warned residents not to exhume bodies of dead loved ones and dance with them because the bizarre ritual can cause outbreaks of plague
His comments come after he told MailOnline yesterday that the outbreak 'is a crisis at the moment, and we don't know how bad it's going to get'.
Professor Jimmy Whitworth, an international public health scientist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, shared similar concerns.
'This outbreak though is the worst for 50 years or more,' he admitted to MailOnline earlier this week after the World Health Organization issued its latest situation report.
The World Bank money will allow for the deployment of personnel to battle the outbreak in the affected regions, the disinfection of buildings and the cleaning up of vulnerable areas. Fuel for ambulances will also be bought.
Madagascan press reports that the finances and budget minister, Ms Vonintsalama Andriambololona was pleased with the decision to grant an extra $5 million in the fight against plague.
'We are pleased that the Bank has listened to our call. The ministry promises to closely supervise the good management of such resources in order to quickly tame the epidemic,' she said.
Commenting on the increase in cases, Professor Robin May, an infectious diseases expert at Birmingham University, told MailOnline yesterday that 'whichever way you look' at the outbreak, it's 'concerning definitely'.
Analysis of figures by MailOnline show the epidemic could strike a further 20,000 people in just a matter of weeks, if current trends continue.
Aid workers have warned the scale of the outbreak could be made worse by crowds who gathered for an annual celebration to honour the dead on Wednesday.
All Saints Day, otherwise known as the 'Day of the Dead', is a public holiday which takes place on November 1 each year, sees families often gathering at local cemeteries.
'In that type of situation, it may be easy to forget about respiratory etiquettes,' Panu Saaristo, the International Federation of Red Cross' team leader for health in Madagascar, told MailOnline.
International agencies have so far sent more than one million doses of antibiotics to Madagascar. Nearly 20,000 respiratory masks have also been donated
Schools and universities have been shut in a desperate attempt to contain the respiratory disease, with children known to come into contact with each other more than adults, and the buildings have been sprayed to eradicate any fleas that may carry the plague
In Madagascar, a sacred ritual sees families exhume the remains of dead relatives, rewrap them in fresh cloth and dance with the corpses
People carry a body wrapped in a sheet after taking it out from a crypt, as they take part in a funerary tradition called the Famadihana
Plague season hits Madagascar each year, and experts warn there is still six months to run – despite already seeing triple the amount of cases than expected.
It has started earlier as forest fires have driven rats into rural communities, which has then spread into cities for the first time, local reports state.
And earlier this week MailOnline revealed the 'Godzilla' El Niño of 2016 has also been blamed for the severity of this year's outbreak by causing freak weather conditions.
Professor Robin May, an infectious diseases expert at Birmingham University, told MailOnline that 'whichever way you look' at the outbreak, it's 'concerning definitely'.
Commenting on the WHO figures, Professor May told MailOnline: 'It sounds like a very big increase in five days. It's a serious outbreak and needs careful monitoring.'
'Depending on what position of the curve you're at, you're either going to see a lot more cases or it'll hit the peak and drop down.'
The most recent WHO figures dispute claims by Dr Manitra Rakotoarivony, Madagascar's director of health promotion, that the epidemic is on a downward spiral.
He told local radio: 'There is an improvement in the fight against the spread of the plague, which means that there are fewer patients in hospitals.'
The WHO, which issues a new report into the outbreak every few days, also remains adamant that cases are on the 'decline in all active areas' across the country.
It said on its website: 'In the past two weeks, 12 previously affected districts reported no new confirmed or probable cases of pulmonary (pneumonic) plague.'
Bubonic plague, which is transmitted by rat flea bites, was responsible for the 'Black Death' in the 14th century, which killed 100 million people.
If left untreated, the Yersinia pestis bacteria can reach the lungs. This is where it turns pneumonic – described as the 'deadliest and most rapid form of plague'.
People dance, sing and play music as they carry the bodies of their ancestors during a funerary tradition called the Famadihana
WHY DID THE 'GODZILA' EL NINO TRIGGER THE WORST PLAGUE IN 50 YEARS?
Experts also believe last year's natural phenomenon El Niño - dubbed 'Godzilla', triggered an increase in rat populations in rural areas, sparking the beginning of the epidemic which has so far infected at least 1,300 people.
Forest fires have also driven the rats and their plague-carrying fleas towards areas inhabited by humans, local reports state as a reason behind the surge in cases recorded this year.
But Professor Matthew Bayliss, from Liverpool University's Institute of Infection and Global Health, suggested floods and heavy rains – triggered by Cyclone Enawo, may also be to blame.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he warned the particularly aggressive El Niño of 2016 may be behind the aggressive start of this year's outbreak, which has seen it hit two heavily populated cities for the first time, including the capital Antananarivo.
'2016 was the strongest El Niño on record, and was nicknamed by some 'Godzilla',' he said. Some have suggested the growing burden of climate change was to blame.
'It is a change to the movements of water in the Pacific Ocean which then has an effect on climate in many parts of the world, including east and southern Africa.
'Our own research suggests that El Niño played a role of the Zika outbreak, but it is also possible that the conditions have facilitated this large scale plague outbreak.'
Experts believe the natural phenomenon dubbed 'Godzilla' triggered an increase in rat populations in rural areas of Madagascar, sparking the beginning of the epidemic which has so far infected at least 1,300 people
Professor Bayliss, alongside colleagues including climatologist Dr Cyril Caminade, were behind a 2014 study that found outbreaks of plague in Madagascar are linked to the naturally occurring climate event in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they found large outbreaks tend to coincide with the fluctuation of air pressure and sea surface temperature, partly driven by El Niño. It was based on 48 years worth of data.
They were also behind another study, released in the same journal in December last year, which found El Niño fuelled the Zika outbreak in South America. It went on to strike more than 70 countries and caused a surge in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads.
What is El Niño?
El Niño, along with its little sister La Niña, are part of a recurring shift in climate that occurs as warm water shifts from one side of the Pacific to the other.
It is caused by a shift in the distribution of warm water in the Pacific Ocean around the equator.
Usually the wind blows strongly from east to west, due to the rotation of the Earth, causing water to pile up in the western part of the Pacific.
This pulls up colder water from the deep ocean in the eastern Pacific.
However, in an El Niño, the winds pushing the water get weaker and cause the warmer water to shift back towards the east. This causes the eastern Pacific to get warmer.
But as the ocean temperature is linked to the wind currents, this causes the winds to grow weaker still and so the ocean grows warmer, meaning the El Niño grows.
This change in air and ocean currents around the equator can have a major impact on the weather patterns around the globe by creating pressure anomalies in the atmosphere.
People in Madagascar believe the ritual honours their dead relatives, who can be 'turned' every five, seven or nine years
Municipal officers clear the ground which blocks the entrance of a family vault during the funerary tradition
Health officials are unsure how this year's outbreak began, but local media report that forest fires have driven rats towards rural communities.
This is believed to have been the start of the bubonic outbreak, which then develops into the more virulent pneumonic form which spreads rapidly without treatment.
Concerned health officials have also warned an ancient ritual, called Famadihana, where relatives dig up the corpses of their loved ones, may be fueling the spread.
To limit the danger of Famadihana, rules enforced at the beginning of the outbreak dictate plague victims cannot be buried in a tomb that can be reopened.
Instead, their remains must be held in an anonymous mausoleum. But the local media has reported several cases of bodies being exhumed covertly.
Despite the serious risks publicised by the authorities, few in Madagascar question the turning ceremonies and dismiss the advice.
The plague outbreak in Madagascar tends to begin in September and ends in April. Tarik Jašarević of the World Health Organization confirmed it would be no different this year.
'It's one of Madagascar's most widespread rituals,' historian Mahery Andrianahag told AFP at a festival in Ambohijafy, a village outside the capital Antananarivo
The unique custom, originating among communities that live in Madagascar's high plateaux, draws crowds every winter to honour the dead and to honour their mortal wishes
AID WORKER ON THE GROUND REVEALS SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
A senior aid worker on the ground in Madagascar has provided MailOnline with an exclusive snapshot of what is happening on the island.
Panu Saaristo, the International Federation of Red Cross' team leader, has revealed thousands of infected adults are unwilling to seek help because they are scared of hospitals.
Mr Saaristo said the cultural stigma associated with seeking medical help was masking the true scale of the problem as it means many of those who are infected are failing to be diagnosed. At the same time there is also a growing shortage of life-saving tests which can provide a rapid diagnosis.
Speaking about the decline in plague cases reported today by Madagascan health officials, Mr Saaristo said he feared this is not really the case and that the true scale of the problem growing. He told MailOnline: 'No-one is happier than us, if that is indeed the case'.
Malagasy Red Cross volunteers wait for the emergency evacuation of an infant plague suspect at a hospital
'Fear of the fact if they get diagnosed with the infection and the long time they would have to spend in hospital' could be a factor in many not seeking treatment because they connect 'hospitals to death', he added.
'People start avoiding healthcare that may lead to a situation where people start dying.' He warned this year's outbreak has been 'truly unprecedented', and is 'not the plague as usual'.
Figures show that at least 1,300 cases of the plague have been reported so far in this year's outbreak, with 93 official deaths recorded. However, UN estimates state the toll could be in excess of 120.
Mr Saaristo warned more deaths are expected unless the urgent shortage of rapid diagnostic tests is immediately addressed, as the majority of plague cases spreading through Madagascar can prove fatal in just 24 hours.
One by one, the wrapped remains were carried out into the open and carefully placed on a mat where they were rewrapped, or 'turned' in the new shrouds
He said: 'After concerted efforts of the Ministry of Health and partners, we are beginning to see a decline in reported cases but there are still people being admitted to hospital.
'At this time we cannot say with certainty that the epidemic has subsided. We are about three months into the epidemic season, which goes on until April 2018.
'Even if the recent declining trend is confirmed, we cannot rule out the possibility of further spikes in transmission between now and April 2018.'
However, this year's worrying outbreak has seen it reach the Indian Ocean island's two biggest cities, Antananarivo and Toamasina.
Experts warn the disease spreads quicker in heavily populated areas. It is estimated that around 1.6 million people live in either city.
The first death this year occurred on August 28 when a passenger died in a public taxi en route to a town on the east coast. Two others who came into contact with the passenger also died.
This year's outbreak is expected to dwarf previous ones as it has struck early, and British aid workers believe it will continue on its rampage.
For Madagascans, the famadihana ceremony is an intense celebration accompanied by music, dancing and singing, fuelled by alcoholic drinks
THE OPENING OF THE RED CROSS' FIRST MAKESHIFT PLAGUE CLINIC
Concerned humanitarians have opened a clinic attached to a major hospital in the country's capital in a desperate attempt to contain the plague outbreak.
The International Federation of Red Cross has set-up a makeshift treatment clinic at the Andouhatapenaka Hospital in Antananarivo.
Twenty beds are available to be used in the clinic, but it is unsure how many patients are currently being treated at the makeshift centre.
Aid workers stress it will be able to offer 24/7 treatment to those infected, as officials continue their attempts to clamp down on cases.
An international team of doctors are also providing supervision and training on plague treatment
The International Federation of Red Cross has set-up a makeshift treatment clinic at the Andouhatapenaka Hospital in Antananarivo
As part of the tradition, festivalgoers leave the bodies of their ancestors on a straw carpet
Isabel Malala Razafindrakoto carries the wrapped body of her son, who died aged just three years old
Olivier Le Guillou, of Action Against Hunger, previously said: 'The epidemic is ahead of us, we have not yet reached the peak.'
A WHO official added: 'The risk of the disease spreading is high at national level… because it is present in several towns and this is just the start of the outbreak.'
International agencies have so far sent more than one million doses of antibiotics to Madagascar. Nearly 20,000 respiratory masks have also been donated.
However, the WHO advises against travel or trade restrictions. It previously asked for $5.5 million (£4.2m) to support the plague response.
Despite its guidance, Air Seychelles, one of Madagascar's biggest airlines, stopped flying temporarily earlier in the month to try and curb the spread.
Schools and universities have been shut in a desperate attempt to contain the respiratory disease, with children known to come into contact with each other more than adults, and the buildings have been sprayed to eradicate any fleas that may carry the plague.
Experts have long observed that plague season coincides with the period when Famadihana ceremonies are held from July to October.
Willy Randriamarotia, the Madagascan health ministry's chief of staff, said: 'If a person dies of pneumonic plague and is then interred in a tomb that is subsequently opened for a Famadihana, the bacteria can still be transmitted and contaminate whoever handles the body.'
The ceremony sees the wrapped remains carried out into the open and carefully placed on a mat where they are rewrapped, or 'turned' in the new shrouds
Two women sit on the ground and hold the body of one of their ancestors as they take part in a funerary tradition
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