You Probably Aren’t Going to Get the Plague
The death of a lab worker in Russia has authorities looking at whether plague played a role. Even if it did, though, the odds of it spreading are very low.
A woman in Russia died after a lab accident, raising concerns about the potential spread of the plague. However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the circumstances of the case remain unconfirmed and that there is currently no indication of a broader threat to the United States. The CDC and its interagency partners are working to assess the situation as more information becomes available.
The incident occurred at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia, where a young researcher died from severe pneumonia of unknown origin after apparently breaking a test tube at her workplace. The hospital treating her was placed under quarantine, and her coworkers were isolated. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been in contact with Russian authorities, and based on the available information, the public health risk to the general population is very low.
Plague is a rare disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which is found in wild rodents and their fleas in many parts of the world. It is typically spread to humans through the bite of an infected flea or direct contact with an infected animal. However, pneumonic plague can occur when a person inhales infectious droplets containing the bacteria or through close contact with an infected individual. Antibiotics can cure plague, but they must be started promptly once an infection is suspected.
While human-to-human transmission of pneumonic plague is rare, with the last reported case occurring in 1924 in Los Angeles, rapid identification and treatment are crucial to prevent further spread. The CDC emphasizes the importance of identifying cases and treating them with antibiotics to avoid continuous transmission. In this particular case, if the lab worker did die from plague, it could potentially be contained, given the availability of antibiotics and the remote location of the incident in Siberia, which limits travel and potential spread.
However, the cause of the woman's death remains uncertain. Russia's federal public health and consumer protection agency, Rospotrebnadzor, reported extensive testing that found no microorganisms associated with the patient's professional activities. Nonetheless, the US has urged Russia to share more information, and neighboring countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have implemented quarantine protocols as a precautionary measure.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
