COVID-19 pandemic in Madagascar

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Madagascar in March 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic in Madagascar
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationMadagascar
Index caseAntananarivo
Arrival date13 March 2020
(3 months, 1 week and 2 days)
Confirmed cases2,005 (as of 27 June) [1][2]
Active cases1,082 (as of 27 June)
Recovered907 (as of 27 June)
Deaths
16 (as of 27 June)[3]

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[4][5] The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[6][7] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[8][6]

Timeline

March 2020

On 20 March, the first three cases were confirmed in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. All three cases were women.[9]

April 2020

By 22 April, Madagascar had reported 121 cases but no deaths.[10]

May 2020

On 5 May, Madagascar reported a total of 149 cases but no deaths.[11] The first death was recorded on 16 May. The victim was an unnamed 57-year-old medical worker who suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure.[12]

June 2020

As of 2 June, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control had recorded 6 COVID-19 related deaths in Madagascar.[3]

The pandemic has been blamed for an early and fiercer than normal fire season as citizens deprived of tourism revenue turn to the forests.[13]

Prevention measures

Lockdowns were implemented in at least two cities.[14] The government announced on 17 March that all international and regional flights would be suspended for 30 days starting 20 March.[15]

Due to the crisis, a lack of international tourists caused problems for the tourism industry.[16] Ambatovy mine suspended operations.[14] The Central Bank of Madagascar injected hundreds of billions of ariary into the banking system to ease the economic damage caused by COVID-19.[17]

On 20 April 2020, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina officially launched a coronavirus "cure" dubbed "Covid-Organic". Developed by the Madagascar Institute of Applied Research (MIAR), the herbal tea was made using artemisia and other locally sourced herbs. Soldiers were dispatched to hand out batches of "Covid-Organic", with Colonel Willy Ratovondrainy announcing on state television that the tea would "strengthen immunity".[18] However, the National Academy of Medicine of Madagascar (ANAMEM) voiced its skepticism, while the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned that there was no proof for any coronavirus cure at the time of Covid-Organic's launch. The African Union has entered into discussions with the Malagasy government to test the drug's safety and efficiency.[10][19]

See also

References
  1. Johns Hopkins CSSE. "Coronavirus COVID19 (2019-nCoV)" (ArcGIS). Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  2. "Worldometer Madagascar". Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  3. "Download today's data on the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases worldwide". ECDC. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  4. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  5. Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  6. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  7. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  8. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  9. "Officiel trois premiers cas de Coronavirus à Madagascar". Orange Madagascar (in French). 20 March 2020.
  10. "Coronavirus: Caution urged over Madagascar's 'herbal cure'". BBC News. 22 April 2020. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  11. Qazi, Shereena; Uras, Umut (5 May 2020). "UK coronavirus death toll rises above 30,000: Live updates". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 5 May 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  12. "Madagascar records its first COVID-19 death -official". Reuters. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  13. "In Madagascar's dry forests, COVID-19 sparks an intense, early fire season". Mongabay Environmental News. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  14. "Sumitomo halts mines in Bolivia, Madagascar". MINING.COM. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  15. "Madagascar suspend toutes les liaisons aériennes régionales et internationales". mofcom.gov.cn (in French). 18 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. "Tourists' departure leaves Madagascar forlorn as coronavirus fears bite". Reuters. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  17. "Madagascar's central bank injects cash to support economy due to virus". Reuters. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  18. "Madagascar hands out 'miracle' coronavirus cure as it lifts lockdown". The Straits Times. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  19. "Coronavirus: What is Madagascar's 'herbal remedy' Covid-Organics?". Al Jazeera. 5 May 2020. Archived from the original on 5 May 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
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