UK health officials issue plague risk update following Russian lab death

The UKHSA is currently seeking further information on the case

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is currently seeking more information over the death of the researcher, reassuring that at this moment UK infection risks are “very low”.

Russian authorities are said to have quarantined 200 researchers, as well as an entire hospital in fear of spreading the infectious disease. 

At this time, the cause of death has been ruled as pneumonic, contracted from an “unknown” cause. 

However, despite saying they found no evidence of the researcher's death being linked with the pathogens she was working with, local media reports suggest she may have succumbed to a form of pneumonic plague.

What experts say about the Irkutsk Institue incident 

Chris Lewis, director of global health protection at the UKHSA, said: “We are aware of media reports that emergency containment measures have been introduced in Russia’s Irkutsk region following the death of an employee at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.

“We are seeking information through the International Health Regulations channels to further understand the circumstances and verify the accuracy of these reports.

“The public health risk from plague to the wider UK population currently remains very low.”

On the other hand, Dr Chris Smith, consultant virologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, told that the facility “may well have been weaponising this particular form of the plague.”

The disease, while extinct from Europe, can be carried by animals such as fleas, and remains a big issue in Africa. 

Pneumonic plague can be transmited to humans through fleas, but also through sneezes and coughs from another person. 

Let’s just hope we wont return to masks and confining in our homes anytime soon…