FACTBOX: Russia’s sanitary watchdog says no epidemic risks in Irkutsk Region

MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. A review of compliance with biosafety requirements in the Irkutsk Region has been completed, with no emergencies involving work with pathogens identified, the press service of Russia’s sanitary watchdog - Rospotrebnadzor - said.

The watchdog also noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) had published an assessment indicating no risk associated with a case of community-acquired pneumonia in Irkutsk.

TASS has compiled the key facts about the situation in the region.

Rospotrebnadzor statements

- The review of compliance with biosafety requirements in the Irkutsk Region has been completed, with no emergencies involving work with pathogenic microorganisms identified.

- Comprehensive preventive measures have been implemented in the region, and there are no epidemic risks to the public.

- Monitoring has ended for 90% of those who had contact with the patient, with no health problems caused by infectious diseases identified.

- Rospotrebnadzor has also provided the WHO with information about the situation in the region.

- The WHO, in turn, published an assessment indicating no risk associated with the case of community-acquired pneumonia in Irkutsk, according to Rospotrebnadzor.

Response

- Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the WHO had been duly informed about the case of pneumonia of unknown etiology in the Irkutsk Region.

- He urged the public to rely on Rospotrebnadzor’s statements, noting that the watchdog regularly releases detailed information about the epidemiological situation.

- According to Peskov, the media have published a large amount of information about the epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk Region, most of which is false.

- Commenting earlier on reports of plague or another infection in the region, Peskov urged the public to rely on assessments by highly qualified Rospotrebnadzor specialists rather than rumors and idle speculation.

Situation in region

- An employee of an anti-plague institute in the Irkutsk Region was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology, Rospotrebnadzor previously reported.

- The watchdog emphasized that a special set of measures had been implemented in response.

- Expanded testing of samples taken from the patient found no microorganisms associated with her professional activities.

- Subsequent testing identified two cases each of COVID-19 and rhinovirus infection among those who had contact with the woman.

- About 16,000 cases of acute respiratory viral infections are recorded in the Irkutsk Region every week, with no increase reported over the past two weeks.

- The sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk Region remains calm.