What is pneumonic plague and how dangerous is it?
WHO said the public health risk appears low as Russian authorities quarantine nearly 200 contacts and investigate the worker’s death.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that U.S. officials are monitoring a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia after a woman died Friday with an "undetermined" cause at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East.
- Pneumonic plague, the deadliest form of the disease caused by Yersinia pestis, is rare but historically significant, having triggered global pandemics as the 14th-century "Black Death." Nearly 200 people who had contact with the woman remain under precautionary medical observation.
- Respiratory droplets typically travel only three to six feet, according to Dr. Dave Wagner of Northern Arizona University, and patients require treatment within 48 hours of showing symptoms to prevent fatal complications.
- Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House's former Covid response coordinator, expressed concern about potential biological weapons programs in the laboratory. "We need to understand that now," Jha added, urging investigation into the facility's activities.
- In the U.S. Southwest, including Arizona and Colorado, the plague persists in rural regions where the bacteria naturally circulate among wild rodents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about seven cases annually.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Plague outbreak at Russian lab raises questions about bioweapons and what was actually happening in remote Siberia
A possible plague outbreak at a Russian lab is raising questions about what was actually happening inside the lab in remote Siberia — especially in light of Russia's known bioweapons program.
What you should know about the Russian “plague lab”
This story appeared in Today, Explained, a daily newsletter that helps you understand the most compelling news and stories of the day. Subscribe here. The death of a 28-year-old lab tech halfway around the world is not typically the sort of thing the White House monitors. But when that tech dies of severe pneumonia…while working at a Siberian […]
Russia’s Plague Lab Worker Death Mystery: What We Know So Far
This undated photo released by the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and Far East, shows the institute workers in a lab. (The Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and Far East via AP)
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