Plague Outbreak Reported in Madagascar Has Killed 40 People, Affected 119: WHO

A plague outbreak in Madagascar has killed 40 people, the World Health Organization said on Friday. Plague is an infectious, bacterial disease caused by a bacteria known as Yersinia pestis. So far in the current outbreak, there have been 119 cases reported. The first patient was identified on Aug. 31 and died on Sept. 3. Cases have been reported in 16 districts of the island nation in the Indian Ocean, with two recorded cases and one death in the capital city of Antananarivo.