At least 42 dead in Madagascar from plague [The Morning Call]

Officials are struggling to contain a widespread deadly outbreak of plague thats been wreaking havoc in the country since late August.

At least 45 people are reported to have died from the outbreak, with more than and 343 more infected since August.

Madagascar is said to typically experience around 400 cases of the bubonic plague each year, with the illness spreading through flea bites and

contact with infected bodily fluids. According to the World Health organization WHO, cases of the plague typically begin between September and April,

but the current outbreak is reported to have started even earlier and has struck in major cities like Antananarivo and Toamasina. A majority of the

confirmed illnesses are said to include cases of the Pneumonic plague, which can be transmitted through the air when an infected person coughs,