Ashley Jowell - The Malagasy Plague is Still Alive

This fascinating article that I read, titled "The Plauge, Alive and Well in Madagascar" (Washington Post) provided readers with an overview of the plague's influence in Madagascar. Although many people commonly view the plague as "medieval"  / "dead" disease, it does in fact still exist to this day. The article sites how "Madagascar is the most severely affected country in the world.  Since 2010 it has been the site of over half (and one year, 90 percent) of worldwide incidents of the plague. Last year, 63 people died in Madagascar, out of a total of 275 cases, according to the World Health Organization."

There are a number of reasons for this prevalence of the plague; one of the reasons is due to Malagasy culture, which where families have the tradition of burying loved ones in family crypts. Furthermore, during the traditional Famdihana "turning of the bones", Malagasy people open up tombs every 5-7 years in a beautiful ceremony filled with reverence for their ancestors and guidance.

These ceremonies, and burial and family tombs, have led to the spread of the plague. This article describes the necessity of burying plague victims IMMEDIATELY after death, as as exposure to the infection in the dead body can be fatal, as an infected flea still feeding on the victim could infect still living people. However, Malagasy culture emphasizes burial in family crytps. Therefore, often, family members will unearth their loved ones from a city hospital to return them to the family crypt, which can be fatal in itself. It is both startling and tragic how such illness can be spread, simply by the practice of one's culture. I wonder if perhaps there are "alternative" ceremonies  / practices that Malagasy people could do that would reduce the risk to their health.

Another condition that exacerbates the plague is poor hygiene and poverty - therefore,the plague's prevalence in Madagascar speaks to the importance of improved hygiene necessary in the country in order to get rid of such a tragic disease.

Image of Solofomandimby Jean-Claude, 20, who contracted the bubonic plague and now in a coma at a health center

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2016/03/09/the-plague-alive-and-well-in-madagascar/