Travellers to South Africa are warned to take precautions after Black Death sweeps through the country.
A strain of Black Death has hit Africa killing 124 people, warnings have been issued in 9 countries in southeast Africa with Madagascar being the most heavily affected.
The plague which took 50 million lives through Europe in the medieval times has brought some airlines to a standstill and airports are screening passengers to stop the spread of this deadly virus.
UK authorities are advising travellers to avoid the hard hit areas while the virus is being brought under control.
These areas include Tanzania, French territory La Réunion, Kenya, Madagascar, The Seychelles, Mauritius, Mozambique, Ethiopia and The Comoros.
The Pneumonic plague is highly contagious, and is passed directly from person to person through airborne droplets coughed from the lungs however Madagascar’s health ministry chief of staff has been quoted saying “bacteria can still be transmitted and contaminate whoever handles the infected after death,”
This was reported after Madagascar’s authorities urged residents to stop any Famadihana rituals also known to the locals as turning the bones, where crypts are reopened and ancestors are freshly wrapped and a dance is performed with the corpse.
Some believe that this ritual has escalated the problem whereas others believe this year’s strain has spread into over populated urban areas which is not normally the case.
1,500 cases have been confirmed since August, which is triple the cases reported for the whole of 2016.
Symptoms of the pneumonic plague are chest pains, coughing, fever, headaches, weakness and general trouble with breathing. Anyone who has these symptoms who have recently arrived home from Africa should visit their doctor where (if required) antibiotics will be prescribed.