The World Health Organization (WHO) requested further information from Russia regarding the death of a worker at a plague research laboratory in Siberia. Russian officials are currently investigating the cause of the fatality.
Authorities in Russia issued a statement confirming that tests revealed "no microorganisms associated with the patient's professional activities". Regarding the immediate contacts, all individuals who came into contact with the researcher tested negative for pneumonic plague.
Prof Piero Olliaro stated that "Plague itself has not disappeared: the bacterium that causes it, Yersinia pestis , persists in animal reservoirs across many parts of the world." Furthermore, Prof Piero Olliaro noted that "Around 200 rodent species can harbour the bacterium, with reservoirs found across the Americas, Eurasia and Africa."
The bacterium, which causes plague, is an infectious disease typically found in small mammals and their fleas. Dr Zania Stamataki asserted that "Plague is not a historical disease. It remains endemic in rodent populations across Africa, Asia and the Americas, and human cases occur every year, including outbreaks of the pneumonic form."
Pneumonic plague, a serious lung infection, is often described as the most virulent form of plague. Dr Malick Gibani described pneumonic plague as "a very severe manifestation of plague disease."
The transmission of pneumonic plague to humans can happen through coughing infected droplets into the air. Dr Malick Gibani added that the condition "is treatable with antibiotics, particularly if started early."
The CDC stated there was "no indication of a broader threat to the United States." The UK's Health and Safety Authority stated the risk to Britain's population was "very low."
