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Is the plague spreading in Russia?

NONo plague confirmed by officials1 death · about 200 contacts tested negative

No spread has been confirmed. Russia's health watchdog says the Irkutsk lab worker who died on Oct 1 had pneumonia of undetermined cause, and her close contacts have tested negative.

Some Russian outlets and the head of neighboring Buryatia said she died of plague. Rospotrebnadzor says tests of her samples found no microorganisms linked to her work with dangerous pathogens, and daily tests of her contacts found two Covid-19 and two rhinovirus cases and no other infections.

Updated . This page is updated daily while the story is developing.

Death: an Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute worker, Oct 1
1
Contacts placed under medical observation
≈200
Plague cases confirmed by Russian officials
0

What has happened

Dates are local dates in Russia unless noted.

  1. An employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute is admitted to hospital in Shelekhov with severe pneumonia.

    Source: The Moscow Times

  2. She dies in hospital.

    Source: The Moscow Times

  3. Russian outlets report suspected pneumonic plague. The Shelekhov district hospital is quarantined and nearly 200 contacts are placed under observation. Governor Igor Kobzev says the contacts show no signs of illness and their tests are negative.

    Source: The Moscow Times

  4. Buryatia's head, Alexei Tsydenov, says she died of an unspecified form of plague; he later adds "maybe".

    Source: The Moscow Times, Oct 2; The Moscow Times, Oct 5

  5. Rospotrebnadzor gives the diagnosis as pneumonia of undetermined etiology. Expanded tests found no microorganisms linked to her work, and a biosafety commission found no accident at the institute.

    Source: Lenta.ru

  6. The Kremlin tells people to rely only on Rospotrebnadzor's statements. Daily tests of the contacts have found two Covid-19 and two rhinovirus cases and no other infections.

    Source: Meduza; The Moscow Times

Questions people are asking

Did the Irkutsk lab worker die of plague?

Not according to Russian health officials. Rospotrebnadzor gives the cause as pneumonia of undetermined etiology and says expanded tests of her samples found no microorganisms linked to her work with dangerous pathogens. Some Russian outlets, citing unnamed sources, reported pneumonic plague, and Buryatia's head first said plague before adding "maybe".

Source: Lenta.ru; The Moscow Times, Oct 2; The Moscow Times, Oct 5

Was it a lab leak?

That has not been confirmed. Earlier reports said she may have broken a test tube containing live bacteria while collecting samples. A commission checking biosafety at the institute found no accident or breach.

Source: The Moscow Times, Oct 2; The Moscow Times, Oct 5; Lenta.ru

Is the plague in the US?

Plague occurs in the U.S. every year, unrelated to Russia: the CDC reports an average of seven human cases a year (0 to 17), mostly in northern New Mexico, northern Arizona and southern Colorado, and in California, southern Oregon and far western Nevada. No U.S. case linked to the Irkutsk death has been reported. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is monitoring the situation closely.

Source: CDC; The Moscow Times

Is the plague contagious?

Only the pneumonic form spreads between people. The CDC says pneumonic plague is the only form that can spread from person to person, and the WHO says it passes through respiratory particles. Bubonic plague usually comes from the bite of an infected flea, and the WHO says human-to-human spread of it is rare.

Source: CDC; World Health Organization

Is plague treatable?

Yes. The WHO says antibiotics are effective against plague bacteria and early diagnosis and treatment can save lives. For pneumonic plague, recovery rates are high if it is detected and treated within 24 hours.

Source: World Health Organization

What are the symptoms of pneumonic plague?

The CDC lists fever, headache, weakness and a rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and sometimes bloody or watery mucus. Symptoms can begin as soon as one day after the bacteria are inhaled.

Source: CDC; World Health Organization

What is the death rate of pneumonic plague?

Without treatment, pneumonic plague is always fatal, according to the WHO, while untreated bubonic plague kills 30% to 60% of patients. With treatment in time, within 24 hours, recovery rates are high.

Source: World Health Organization

What is the difference between pneumonic and bubonic plague?

Bubonic plague usually follows the bite of an infected flea and causes fever and one or more swollen, painful lymph nodes called buboes, 2 to 8 days after the bite. Pneumonic plague infects the lungs, can spread from person to person, and can start about a day after exposure.

Source: CDC

Sources