Russland: Was dran ist an den Spekulationen zum Pest-Ausbruch in Russland
Menschen in Quarantäne, ein unklarer Todesfall, fragwürdige Behördenangaben. Eine genaue Antwort auf die Geschehnisse haben Experten derzeit nicht, Entwarnung gibt es dennoch.
The recent death of a lung infection patient, whose cause remains unknown, has evoked unpleasant memories for many, reminiscent of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the passing of a laboratory worker at a pest research center in Siberia, numerous speculations have emerged. U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to call Russian President Vladimir Putin over the incident.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for more information. Experts are providing assessments based on what is currently verifiable. The reason for such widespread attention is a combination of historical symbolism associated with the plague, official Russian statements that are doubted, and concern over a possible pandemic caused by a specially bred deadly pathogen.
What can be said about these three points? The historical symbolism of the plague is linked to grim epidemics in the collective memory. Untreated lung plague is almost always fatal, while bubonic plague is generally lethal in most cases. The plague sought Europe over centuries, with the infamous "Black Death" in the 14th century claiming millions of lives.
The last major plague epidemic in Western Europe occurred between 1720 and 1722 in Marseille, with other parts of Europe experiencing larger and smaller outbreaks thereafter.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
