Rachel V Thomas

Health and Me

Russia Plague Fear Grows: Is India At Pandemic Risk? Experts Explain

The suspected plague situation in Russia has reportedly claimed another life, fueling fears of a potential outbreak. However, Russia has not confirmed that either death was caused by plague, and investigations into the cases are ongoing.

India, which has witnessed plague outbreaks in the past, including the 1994 Surat outbreak and a pneumonic plague outbreak in Himachal Pradesh in 2002, also has rodent populations that can serve as reservoirs for plague. But does the situation in Russia pose a risk to India if plague is eventually confirmed?

To understand the potential risk to India, HealthandMe spoke to two experts with experience investigating plague outbreaks in India.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/russia-plague-scare-is-pneumonic-plague-deadlier-than-bubonic-septicemic-plague-article-156285306" data-type="tilCustomLink">Russia Plague Scare: Is Pneumonic Plague Deadlier Than Bubonic &amp; Septicemic Plague?</a>

The death of a 28-year-old laboratory worker in Russia’s Irkutsk region has raised concerns about possible plague exposure. Reports said she may have accidentally broken a test tube containing Yersinia pestis, the bacterium causing plague, while collecting samples. However, Russian authorities have not confirmed plague and said she died of pneumonia of unknown cause.

Dr NK Ganguly, former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) told HealthandMe that the case has not been established as plague and questioned whether a test-tube exposure could explain plague pneumonia.

“Actually, the case in Russia has not been proven to be plague. It has been reported as a case of unknown cause and undiagnosed pneumonia. They have been investigating plague among about 2,000 people in the vicinity, as well as among people in the laboratory. So, they have not confirmed it as a plague case. And from a test tube exposure, it is difficult to have plague pneumonia.”

Unconfirmed reports have also claimed another death linked to the same laboratory, but this has not been independently verified.

Dr Ganguly was one of the people who investigated the 1994 plague outbreak in Maharashtra’s Beed district.

There is currently no indication that the situation in Russia poses a significant pandemic risk to India.

Dr Ganguly said there is no reason for India to be very concerned about the Russian situation, particularly because plague has not been confirmed.

“So from the Russian plague, there is no, we need not be very worried. Firstly, they have not reported it as plague. It might be plague, but they have not reported it as plague.”

The WHO has also assessed the risk to the wider population as low. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said the initial assessment based on available information put the risk at moderate to low for Irkutsk, low for Russia as a whole and very low for the WHO European Region.

#shorts Russia Plague Outbreak

Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is primarily associated with rodents and their fleas. It can occur in different forms, including bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic plague. Russia is suspected to have pneumonic plague.

Dr Amitabh Banerjee, who investigated the Himachal Pradesh plague outbreak in 2002, said plague does not typically spread rapidly from person to person.

“So it's not a very quick transmission, particularly person to person. But plague is a disease which cannot be eradicated because it is in wildlife, it is in rodents and all. So the only thing is hygiene and, with modern antibiotics, there should not be any panic,” he told HealthandMe.

Banerjee also noted that pneumonic plague can be severe, while bubonic plague does not typically spread easily from person to person.

“So pneumonic plague can be very deadly particularly pneumonic plague and that will be localized pandemic it is not possible because those persons will be very sick, they cannot move out or not and bubonic plague will not transmit very easily from person to person and both are treatable…”

While Dr Ganguly said there is no immediate reason for India to be worried about the Russian situation, he stressed the importance of continued surveillance of rodents and other animals, particularly where wildlife and human habitation overlap.

“So the main thing is that go on doing surveillance in the rats and other, in the vicinity of where the forest and the human habitat march. And whenever you find any activity, then take preventive precaution.”

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The suspected plague situation in Russia has reportedly claimed another life, fueling fears of a potential outbreak. However, Russia has not confirmed that either death was caused by plague, and investigations into the cases are ongoing.India, which has witnessed plague outbreaks in the past, including the 1994 Surat outbreak and a pneumonic plague outbreak in Himachal Pradesh in 2002, also has rodent populations that can serve as reservoirs for plague. But does the situation in Russia pose a risk to India if plague is eventually confirmed?To understand the potential risk to India, HealthandMe spoke to two experts with experience investigating plague outbreaks in India. Plague From Test-Tube Exposure?Also read: Russia Plague Scare: Is Pneumonic Plague Deadlier Than Bubonic & Septicemic Plague?The death of a 28-year-old laboratory worker in Russia’s Irkutsk region has raised concerns about possible plague exposure. Reports said she may have accidentally broken a test tube containing Yersinia pestis, the bacterium causing plague, while collecting samples. However, Russian authorities have not confirmed plague and said she died of pneumonia of unknown cause.Dr NK Ganguly, former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) told HealthandMe that the case has not been established as plague and questioned whether a test-tube exposure could explain plague pneumonia.“Actually, the case in Russia has not been proven to be plague. It has been reported as a case of unknown cause and undiagnosed pneumonia. They have been investigating plague among about 2,000 people in the vicinity, as well as among people in the laboratory. So, they have not confirmed it as a plague case. And from a test tube exposure, it is difficult to have plague pneumonia.”Unconfirmed reports have also claimed another death linked to the same laboratory, but this has not been independently verified.Dr Ganguly was one of the people who investigated the 1994 plague outbreak in Maharashtra’s Beed district.Should India Be Concerned?There is currently no indication that the situation in Russia poses a significant pandemic risk to India.Dr Ganguly said there is no reason for India to be very concerned about the Russian situation, particularly because plague has not been confirmed.“So from the Russian plague, there is no, we need not be very worried. Firstly, they have not reported it as plague. It might be plague, but they have not reported it as plague.”The WHO has also assessed the risk to the wider population as low. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said the initial assessment based on available information put the risk at moderate to low for Irkutsk, low for Russia as a whole and very low for the WHO European Region.How Does Plague Spread?   Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is primarily associated with rodents and their fleas. It can occur in different forms, including bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic plague. Russia is suspected to have pneumonic plague.Dr Amitabh Banerjee, who investigated the Himachal Pradesh plague outbreak in 2002, said plague does not typically spread rapidly from person to person.“So it's not a very quick transmission, particularly person to person. But plague is a disease which cannot be eradicated because it is in wildlife, it is in rodents and all. So the only thing is hygiene and, with modern antibiotics, there should not be any panic,” he told HealthandMe.Banerjee also noted that pneumonic plague can be severe, while bubonic plague does not typically spread easily from person to person.“So pneumonic plague can be very deadly particularly pneumonic plague and that will be localized pandemic it is not possible because those persons will be very sick, they cannot move out or not and bubonic plague will not transmit very easily from person to person and both are treatable…”How Should India Prepare?While Dr Ganguly said there is no immediate reason for India to be worried about the Russian situation, he stressed the importance of continued surveillance of rodents and other animals, particularly where wildlife and human habitation overlap.“So the main thing is that go on doing surveillance in the rats and other, in the vicinity of where the forest and the human habitat march. And whenever you find any activity, then take preventive precaution.”

russia plague fear grows: is india at pandemic risk? experts explain

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