South Africa on high alert for 'black death' plague
The death toll from Madagascar's plague outbreak has risen to 124, officials say.
South Africa is one of nine countries on high alert as a deadly disease spreads through Madagascar.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is currently a seasonal upsurge of plague in the island nation.
Between 1 August and 19 October 2017, a total of 1297 cases (suspected, probable and confirmed), including 102 deaths have been reported
The death toll has since risen to over 124.
WHO says: "Of these, 846 cases were clinically classified as pneumonic plague, 270 were bubonic plague, one case was septicaemic plague, and 180 cases were unspecified. Of the 846 cases of pulmonary plague, 91 have been confirmed and 407 were probable."
Deputy director at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Professor John Frean, says the reason South Africa is on high alert is because of the relatively high contact with Madagascar through travel.
The pneumonic plague is transferred through coughing. It can be fatal within 72 hours.
Madagascar has suffered plague outbreaks almost every year since 1980 - usually between September and April.
WHO says the current outbreak is unusual as it has affected urban areas, increasing the risk of transmission.