The World Health Organization reports Madagascar is dealing with an outbreak of the plague.
The first case was reported August 31, and the patient died Sept. 3.
As of Nov. 16, 119 cases of the plague have been confirmed, and there have been 40 deaths.
The WHO reports there is a risk of the disease spreading rapidly due to high population density and the country's weak healthcare system.
The WHO and other partners have developed and deployed a national task force to manage the outbreak.
The plague is a bacterial disease typically affecting wild rodents, spread from one animal to the other by fleas. Humans can contract the disease if bitten by an infected flea. The plague is generally treatable by antibiotics if detected early, unless the bacteria reaches the lungs, in which case patients can die within 24 hours of becoming infected.
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