World Health Organization Says No Sign of Plague Spreading in Russia
World Health Organization (W.H.O.) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that his agency has seen no evidence of plague spreading after a suspected lab leak incident in Siberia, although he said this assessment was highly dependent on information from Russian authorities, and he hinted they have been less forthcoming than W.H.O. would prefer.
In fact, Tedros’ statement primarily repeated what Russian officials have told him:
In response to W.H.O.’s verification request under the International Health Regulations, the Russian health authorities reported that no case of plague had recently been registered in Irkutsk oblast. They informed W.H.O. that an epidemiological investigation had been conducted, preventive and control measures implemented, and identified contacts placed under medical observation and tested. They reported that no high-threat pathogens had been detected among the contacts and that medical observation of all identified contacts had been completed.
W.H.O. has remained in contact with the Russian health authorities and has offered technical support. W.H.O. has requested further information to clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia, the pathogen that prompted the public health measures, and media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause.
Tedros concluded by emphasizing that “timely, complete, and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations” is essential to providing “an accurate assessment of potential public health risks.” (Read more from “World Health Organization Says No Sign of Plague Spreading in Russia” HERE)
