Deadly lung plague reached Seychelles quarantine arranged

Health Minister takes strict security measures

The dangerous lung plague continues to attack. According to official reports, the highly contagious infectious disease has now reached the Seychelles. The Ministry of Health of the island state confirmed on Tuesday that a 34-year-old man had brought the disease from Madagascar. In order to prevent further infections, immigrants are now quarantined and flights to Madagascar stopped.

Pest claims many deaths in Madagascar

The dangerous lung plague rages on Madagascar especially bad. Nearly 350 diseases and more than 40 deaths have so far been reported, most of which are the so-called pulmonary plague. This is less common, but much more dangerous than other forms of the disease and is transmitted primarily by coughing up close. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, flights were discontinued, but apparently too late. As confirmed by the official side, the lung plague has now reached the Seychelles. The Minister of Health of the island state has therefore ordered quarantine for all arriving from Madagascar travelers.

After the pneumonic plague has reached Seychelles, travelers arriving from Madagascar must first be quarantined for a few days. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com)

Six days of isolation

Health Minister Jean-Paul Adam confirmed in Parliament on Wednesday that all persons arriving from Madagascar will spend six days in isolation, according to the Seychelles Ministry of Health. The isolation center is being set up at the Seychelles Coast Guard Military Academy on Perseverance Island, near the capital, Victoria, according to the announcement. The immigrants would be actively monitored here before being allowed to enter the Seychelles.

Contact persons are monitored

On Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that a 34-year-old man had introduced the pneumonic plague from Madagascar. The man arrived in Seychelles on Friday, October 6, and has been under surveillance ever since. According to the Ministry, he was immediately treated with antibiotics and immediately contacted all persons who were in direct contact with him.

"There are 12 members of his close family who were brought to the military academy to be actively monitored," Jean-Paul Adam is quoted in another message. In addition, other persons were also called in for preventive treatment because the infected person had visited a meeting on his return to the country. However, these individuals would have no symptoms, but would only be treated prophylactically, stressed the Minister of Health.

WHO warns against spreading the plague

The plague is one of the most devastating epidemics ever and claimed millions of lives, especially in the Middle Ages. Even today, the infectious disease is not yet defeated. According to a WHO survey, 3,248 cases worldwide were reported in the years 2010 to 2015 alone, of which 584 were fatal. According to the World Health Organization, the three most endemic countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and Peru. But the WHO warns against a return of the plague in other countries.

If left untreated, lung plague will quickly kill you

The so-called pulmonary plague is a severe lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and transmitted mostly by droplet infection (for example, when coughing or sneezing) from person to person. Therefore, the disease spreads rapidly, especially in densely populated areas.

Typical symptoms of rare but highly contagious lung pneumonia are high fever, headache, shortness of breath, chest pain and cough. The incubation period is typically one to seven days. If the disease is diagnosed early, it can be treated with antibiotic. If left untreated, it leads to death about two days after onset of symptoms. (No)