CDC sees low plague risk, monitors Siberia arrivals after worker death
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Erica Schwartz said on Wednesday the risk to the U.S. from an unconfirmed pneumonic plague case in Siberia is extremely low, but the agency is prepared to monitor and screen travelers. "There are about 200 flights that come into the United States from Siberia, that region. We are working with Department of Homeland Security, working (with)…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has assessed the risk of pneumonic plague from Siberia as extremely low, but is taking precautions to monitor and screen travelers. According to CDC director Erica Schwartz, around 200 flights from Siberia arrive in the US, and the agency is working with other government departments to track anyone entering the country from the region.
A laboratory technician, Darya Shipilova, died in Siberia last week, and Russian authorities have reported a second suspected case of plague infection. However, Russia's public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, claims there is no epidemic risk, citing over 5,000 laboratory tests that detected no dangerous pathogens. The agency also stated that Shipilova had been vaccinated and had immunity to the infections she worked with.
The Kremlin has dismissed media reports of the situation as largely false, urging citizens to rely on official statements from Rospotrebnadzor. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were scheduled to discuss the issue, but the outcome of their conversation is not reported.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times, The Korea Times, Euronews — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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