Rospotrebnadzor sees no risk of the plague spreading in Russia – Kommersant

The head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova said that there is currently no risk of the spread of the plague in Russia. Earlier, in the Zavkhan region of Mongolia bordering Russia (bordering Tuva), a patient was identified with suspected plague infection.

“Today there is no risk of the spread of the plague and we are doing everything to prevent it from arising,” Anna Popova told TASS. According to her, Rospotrebnadzor is interacting with Mongolian specialists and carrying out enhanced sanitary and quarantine control, including through the Perimeter system, to prevent the plague from being transported by plane.

Earlier today, Mongolia’s national carrier canceled all domestic flights to Zavkhan province. A patient with suspected plague arrived from the Yaruu settlement. This patient is currently undergoing additional testing, and all people who had contact with him have been isolated.

Over the past 30 years, 32 people infected with the plague have been identified in Mongolia, of which 13 people have died. According to the results of June research, 137 natural foci of plague were identified in 17 aimags in Mongolia. After this, Rospotrebnadzor recommended that regions prepare for plague prevention. In August, three cases of plague were detected in China.

There are three types of plague: bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic, which occurs when bubonic plague is left untreated. Plague is spread by flea and rodent bites, through scratches and bites from infected cats, through direct contact with infected animal tissue, or through airborne transmission from person to person or animal to person.

Marmots are considered the most dangerous carrier of plague. They are usually hunted in Mongolia, Tuva and Altai. The closest natural foci of bubonic plague to the Russian border are in the northwestern aimag of Uvs, which also borders Tuva.

The last case of human infection with the plague in Russia was in 2017. Prior to this, isolated cases were recorded in the Gorno-Altai high-mountain natural focus in the Kosh-Agach region of the Altai Republic.

Anastasia Larina