Via the Madagascar Tribune, an October 7 report that reminds me of the airlines' panicky response to Ebola in West Africa: Air Seychelles suspends flights to Madagascar. The Google translation, lightly edited:
"Following the advice and request of the Public Health Authority of Seychelles concerning the plague epidemic in Madagascar, Air Seychelles will temporarily suspend its services between Seychelles and Madagascar from Sunday 8 October 2017."
This is the content of the official communiqué of Air Seychelles which will no longer serve Madagascar from tomorrow 08 October 2017.
It is certain that the Seychelles authorities did not appreciate the death of the Seychellois basketball coach in Madagascar following a pulmonary plague he contracted on the spot during the basketball tournament in Antananarivo. It was only after this unfortunate death that the Malagasy authorities took action and began a thorough awareness campaign.
The representative of WHO (World Health Organization) in Madagascar Ndiaye Charlotte said at the press conference with the Ministry of Health that "for the time being, there are not yet any restrictions on Madagascar as well on products than on dating."
She made the term "for the moment" quite clear. This means that this situation may change depending on whether the epidemic is under control or not. The first "sanction" has just fallen; it remains to be seen if others will follow the measures taken by Air Seychelles. We the plague-stricken are are likely to find ourselves at the mercy of international society.
The number of confirmed/suspected plague cases continues to increase at the same time as the number of deceased; which means in the eyes of the authorities that the awareness campaign and the strategy developed to control the spread of this disease are effective.
