Following recent Ministry of Health investigations, there’s been no new reporting of bubonic plague infections over the past fortnight in Ambositra district, an endemic region of the country’s interior. The district had recorded 18 cases and seven resulting deaths since August last year. The country last experienced a large outbreak of (mostly pneumonic) plague in 2017. Read more
Advice for travellers
Plague occurs annually in Madagascar, but poses a low risk to most travellers. Most cases of plague are due to bubonic plague following the bite of an infected flea carried by rats. If left untreated, infection of the lungs causes the pneumonic form of plague, a severe respiratory illness, which can progress rapidly to death. Read more on the plague.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.