EU countries to discuss suspected plague outbreak in Russia
European health authorities are closely following the suspected plague outbreak in Siberia, Russia. The European Commission and member states are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday morning.
A suspected outbreak of pneumonic plague in Siberia, Russia has prompted an imminent discussion among EU countries. The Health Security Committee, responsible for evaluating serious cross-border health threats, will convene in Brussels on Wednesday to address the matter. A Commission spokesperson confirmed that the incident will be on the agenda, though it was originally scheduled for a different meeting date.
The suspected outbreak centers around the death of a female lab worker at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute in southeastern Siberia on October 2nd. An unknown pneumonia was attributed to her death, though Russian authorities maintain that her illness was not caused by any of the pathogens she worked with and that the situation is under control.
Her former workplace was subsequently placed under quarantine, and approximately 200 individuals who had been in contact with her were placed under strict medical observation.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan have implemented precautionary measures at their borders in an attempt to prevent the potential spread of infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated on Tuesday that none of these individuals exhibited symptoms, and early testing yielded negative results. However, the organization noted that it was unclear which pathogens were tested.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) echoed the same sentiment, stating that the suspicion of a plague outbreak has not been confirmed yet. They emphasized that there are no reports of secondary cases or sustained human-to-human transmission based on the limited information currently available.
Despite the lack of confirmed cases, Brussels and Washington are closely monitoring the evolving situation and have urged Russia to provide accurate and transparent information regarding the suspected outbreak. Pneumonic plague, the most severe form of the disease, is highly contagious and poses a significant risk if left untreated, with a case-fatality rate ranging from 30% to 100%.
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- Pneumonic plague suspected in Russia: What we know and what is the risk to Europe? euronews.com
- What authorities have said about plague alert after death of a laboratory worker in Russia english.elpais.com
- WHO says 'low' risk in Russia following plague reports iol.co.za
- Fact check: Misleading claims spark plague fears in Russia dw.com
- WHO says 'low' risk in Russia following plague reports rte.ie
- Disease control chief allays plague concern in Russia bangkokpost.com
- Russia plague quarantine following lab death: Should we be worried? aljazeera.com
- What is Russia saying about death of woman linked to plague lab? bbc.co.uk
