Authorities downplay suspected plague deaths in Siberia
Quick Look
Following the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia from suspected plague, Russian authorities downplayed reports and referred to official statements.
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Why It Matters
Plague is a bacterial infectious disease. Pneumonic plague is considered highly contagious and potentially fatal.
Authorities downplayed reports of the death of a laboratory worker following a suspected plague infection in Siberia. The Russian President's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, called on journalists to "rely on the official statements" of the Russian consumer and health watchdog "Rospotrebnadzor, instead of (...) rumors and speculation."
According to authorities, a woman died last week in the Russian region of Irkutsk on Lake Baikal. The online medium People from Baikal reported that the 28-year-old worked for the Irkutsk Plague Control Institute. She may have been infected with the pneumonic plague pathogen through a broken test tube. Up to 200 people with whom the deceased was in contact have been quarantined.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobsev said that the woman's autopsy found no signs of the disease. During an investigation in the region, a special commission made up of experts determined that "the cause of death was pneumonia of unknown origin."
Plague is an infectious disease caused by bacteria. According to the World Health Organization, pneumonic plague is highly contagious and can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Open Questions
- What exactly did the employee die of?
- Is there still a quarantine for the contact persons?
