‘It’s not possible to eradicate plague’: Scientists warn deadly disease will ravage the planet for ETERNITY as Madagascar’s ‘worst outbreak in 50 years’ continues to escalate
World Health Organization data shows 2,119 people have now been infected
Scientists are worried the ‘worst outbreak in 50 years’ has reached ‘crisis’ point
Ten countries have been placed on high alert as experts fear it will reach Africa
Other scientists fear this year’s outbreak will reach well beyond mainland Africa
Two thirds of all the cases have been caused by the airborne pneumonic plague
This can spread through coughing, sneezing or spitting and kill within 24 hours
By STEPHEN MATTHEWS
DAILYMAIL.COM
17 November 2017
The deadly plague will never be eradicated, scientists have warned amid fears the situation in Madagascar is spiralling out of control.
At least 171 people have died in the country off the coast of Africa’s ‘worst outbreak in 50 years’ and 2,119 have been infected, World Health Organization figures show.
International aid workers are desperately battling to contain the ‘crisis’, which has prompted 10 nearby African countries to be placed on high alert by the WHO.
Professor Allen Cheng, an infectious disease expert at Monash University, warned of the dangers of the plague and said this year’s outbreak has been ‘unusual’ – because it is airborne.
He wrote in a piece for The Conversation: ‘It’s not possible to eradicate plague, as it is widespread in wildlife rodents outside the sphere of human influence.’
Plague, caused by the Yersina pestis bacteria, killed hundreds of millions of people in three devastating outbreaks, including the Plague of Justinian in the 6th century.
It is easily treated with antibiotics in the current climate – however, experts are still concerned it will cause eternal havoc because it is constantly mutating.
Kyle Harper, a professor of classics and letters at the University of Oklahoma, said biological evolution is ‘cunning and dangerous’.
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