The real reason the Russia plague case should scare you
A woman’s death last week near a Russian facility studying the plague immediately put the world on alert. This is the plague, after all, responsible for the deaths of some half of the humans in Europe during the worst outbreak in the 1300s. And it happened in Russia, a country with a long history of […]
A woman's death near a Russian facility studying the plague raised global concerns about a potential outbreak. The plague, responsible for killing half of Europe in the 1300s, is not as infectious as Covid and can be treated early. However, the incident highlights two trends that worry global health experts: an increase in bioresearch facilities and declining oversight of their security measures.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has seen a surge in high-level bio-laboratories, many of which are in countries with limited experience in handling dangerous pathogens. At the same time, global oversight of these facilities has weakened, with the US pulling out of the World Health Organization and reducing funding for biosecurity agencies.
While it's unlikely that this Russian incident will lead to a global outbreak, it serves as a reminder that accidents, not just malice, could pose significant threats.
Written by urgent.news from Vox's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
