WHO Says Risk to Public Low Following Researcher's Death at Russian Plague Lab

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated on the 5th (local time) that the risk to the general public is low regarding an incident where a pathogen leaked from a plague research institute in Siberia, Russia, resulting in the death of a researcher.

Based on information confirmed so far, the WHO stated that "the public health risk to the general public appears to be low" and that it will conduct a re-assessment of the risk as additional information is verified.

According to TASS news agency, the WHO is in contact with Russian health authorities to ascertain the situation.

Christian Lindmeier, a WHO spokesperson, told TASS, "We are in contact with Russian health authorities to verify the circumstances of this matter, the ongoing experiments and results, the health status of contacts, and potential repercussions."

Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's public health, sanitary, and quarantine watchdog, stated that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk Oblast, where the incident occurred, is stable and that preventive measures for contacts are entering the final stage.

On September 25, an accident occurred at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Russia when a female researcher broke a test tube containing a plague pathogen.

This researcher was hospitalized with severe pneumonia symptoms on September 29 and passed away overnight between October 1 and 2.

Unlike other forms of plague transmitted through fleas or contact with animals, pneumonic plague can spread through respiratory droplets (fine saliva droplets).

While it can be treated with antibiotics if detected early, the fatality rate is high enough to cause death within 1 to 6 days if left untreated.

According to local Russian media, about 200 people who came into contact with the deceased researcher are currently quarantined at Shelekhov Hospital.

Rospotrebnadzor stated that among the contacts, two people tested positive for COVID-19 and two for rhinovirus, respectively.

However, no outbreaks of other infectious diseases, including the plague, have been confirmed so far.
 
(Photo provided by Irkutsk Oblast Institute, AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.