Two consecutive deaths have caused concern among the residents of Janjina village, in the Ambatofinandrahana district. According to the Gendarmerie, the victims were a 20-year-old woman and a 3-year-old child, who both passed away yesterday. “Health professionals are prioritizing the hypothesis of measles as the probable cause of death,” the source added.
Health workers have traveled to the site to assess the situation and carry out response activities. They screened individuals presenting with fever and identified sixteen cases. According to rapid diagnostic test (RDT) results, five of these cases are malaria, and three are suspected measles. “Samples will be taken today and sent to the Institut Pasteur. This analysis will confirm whether or not it is indeed measles,” our source explained. In the meantime, vitamin A has been distributed to children aged 1 to 5 to strengthen their immune systems.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, measles is still circulating in Madagascar, although they have not yet confirmed these suspicious deaths in Ambatofinandrahana. Unvaccinated individuals are the most vulnerable to the disease and the risk of developing fatal complications. Vaccine hesitancy and the geographical inaccessibility of health centers largely explain why some children remain unvaccinated. Janjina is a very remote village, located 36 km from the Mandrosonoro Basic Health Center (CSB2) and 32 km from the Maroanakomby center.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-01 06:23:34 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/ambatofinandrahana-deux-villageoises.html