Russian authorities are responding to an incident in which a suspected dangerous infection was released as a result of a laboratory accident in Siberia and a researcher died.

The incident occurred at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov, near Irkutsk, according to Russian state media TASS.

It is unclear exactly what was released, according to the state agency that handles infectious disease, Rospotrebnadzor. One person – a laboratory worker – is said to have died in the incident after being diagnosed with a pneumonia of “unknown” origin.

“The sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region, the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov is stable,” Rospotrebnadzor said.

Special measures had been carried out “in connection with the case of an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute,” Rospotrebnadzor said, adding that the employee had been diagnosed with “pneumonia of unknown etiology,” or cause.

The head of the neighboring republic of Buryatia, Alexei Tsydenov, said earlier that the employee – a 28-year old woman – died “possibly from the plague.” He also noted that “there are no plague outbreaks” in Buryatia.

The governor of Irkutsk, Igor Kobzev, urged calm on Friday, saying that an extraordinary meeting of the regional anti-epidemic commission was held with Russia’s chief state doctor.

The meeting was in connection with a “suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection affecting a resident of the region,” Kobzev said on Telegram.

An aluminum plant near the laboratory instructed staff to wear masks as a precautionary measure. The director of Irkutsk Aluminum Plant, Artem Fominikh, also urged calm and noted that “there are many rumors and conflicting reports circulating.”

“All identified close contacts are under medical supervision. At present, they show no signs of the disease, and their laboratory test results are negative,” Fominikh said.

Unofficial reports, including by the independent regional news outlet Liudi Baikala, say that nearly 200 people were placed under observation at the hospital in Shelekhov to which the laboratory technician was taken.

Quarantine has also been imposed in at least one of the city’s maternity hospitals, according to Liudi Baikala. 

The infection in the Irkutsk region is “most likely not the plague, but even if confirmed, there will be no spread of this disease,” a previous head of Rospotrebnadzor, Gennady Onishchenko, said on Friday.

Onishchenko told the state news agency TASS that the onset of cold weather would likely prevent transmission.

Pneumonic plague is one of three types of plagues that are caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The other two types typically spread from contact with infected fleas, animals or infected tissues. But the pneumonic plague, or lung-based plague, can transfer easily from person to person through respiratory particles.

A US State Department spokesperson told CNN Sunday that it is aware of the possible death due to pneumonic plague in Russia.

“We are monitoring the situation closely with the CDC and our other interagency partners,” the spokesperson said. “Many details have not been confirmed. We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.”

Patients with pneumonic plague develop fever, headache, weakness and and “a rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and sometimes bloody or watery mucous,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The US Department of Health and Human Services told CNN that the CDC is closely monitoring the situation in Russia, and that the “safety and security of U.S. citizens is our highest priority.”

The World Health Organization has noted that plague has a high fatality rate, but is also easily treated with antibiotics and the use of precautions to prevent infections. (CNN)

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A syphilis-like bacterial infection spreading among monkeys and macaques has been detected in Polonnaruwa and Giritale, it was reported.

According to reports, the infection has been found through a joint study by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and animal health authorities. 

Wildlife Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Nihal Pushpakumara said blood and PCR tests have confirmed the syphilis-like bacterial infection.

He further explained that the infection affects the genital organs, skin, and anus of the animals.

Dr. Nihal Pushpakumara advised the public to avoid close contact with monkeys and macaques, especially in places of religious worship frequented by monkeys.

He further warned that the bacteria could spread to humans if they come into contact with contaminated areas. (Newswire)

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Whether it’s COVID-19, which shook the world three years ago, or a recent surge in acute respiratory infections, China has consistently been a hub of infectious outbreaks. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared in November that the increase in hospitalizations in China is linked to regular winter diseases rather than new pathogens.

This winter’s spike in infections was predicted to be the first in China without COVID-19 restrictions since the epidemic started in 2020. The majority of spikes in disease that occurred when COVID-19 restrictions were eased in other nations were caused by influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Several factors are attributed to this surge in respiratory illnesses in China. Chinese authorities have pointed to the circulation of known pathogens, including influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Media reports also linked the increase to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the onset of colder weather, which typically leads to a spike in respiratory infections.

The Chinese authorities claim that enhanced surveillance for respiratory illnesses has been in place since mid-October, contributing to increased detection and reporting.

They advised that enhanced outpatient and inpatient surveillance has been implemented for respiratory illnesses, covering a broad spectrum of viruses and bacteria, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae for the first time. This complements existing respiratory surveillance mechanisms and may have contributed to the observed increase in the detection and reporting of respiratory illnesses in children, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In November, the WHO requested detailed information from China on the rise in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters in children. Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission, at a press conference on November 13, reported an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in China. They attributed this increase to the lifting of COVID restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, Mycoplasma pneumonia (a common bacterial infection that typically affects younger children), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), as per a release issued by the WHO.

On November 22, WHO requested additional epidemiologic and clinical information, as well as laboratory results from these reported clusters among children, through the International Health Regulations mechanism. The WHO requested further information about recent trends in the circulation of known pathogens, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the current burden on healthcare systems.

Compared to the same period in the preceding three years, northern China has recorded an upsurge in influenza-like sickness since mid-October. The increase in cases led to precautions advised by the WHO, including vaccination, avoiding sick individuals, staying home when sick, testing, seeking medical attention, mask-wearing, ventilation, and handwashing.

When the COVID wave hit the Chinese mainland, the government of China imprisoned or repressed critics of its approach to the coronavirus, and the international backlash against the country’s handling of COVID harmed its relations across the world.

The actions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not just end there. Earlier, without any plan, the Chinese government had to end its “zero-COVID policy,” as quickly as it was implemented with its stringent measures.

The move came in January this year when China’s healthcare system was facing several hardships and on the verge of collapse as the faulty Covid policies of the Xi Jinping-led Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the form of draconian zero-COVID policies not only harmed the economy but also failed to control the virus.

In order to contain the spread of the virus, China had imposed “draconian lockdowns” and stringent contact tracing, as well as inhumane behaviour by the CCP officials. Although China’s economy witnessed a significant downfall caused by the restrictions imposed by the CCP, the measures announced by the Chinese government might have prevented deaths.

According to several media reports, confidence in China’s manufacturing and service sectors was at its lowest point since 2020 at the end of 2022. They, however, left a huge percentage of its population without natural immunity from COVID-19, more so as China’s home-grown vaccines were ineffective as a deterrent against the virus and they even failed to protect the people, according to a GeoPolitica.info report.

The country had reversed its Zero COVID policy due to widespread protests in nine cities across China.

China’s COVID-19 containment strategy had affected Chinese people to the extent that it caused major discontent among people in the country, as per the GeoPolitica.info report.

According to the policy, the entire city needed to be put under lockdown, even if a few cases emerged in the region. The WHO has stated that such measures do not help in reducing the number of cases and negatively affect people’s livelihoods.

According to a WHO assessment of the COVID situation in China, there were 31,585 fatalities and more than 10 million verified cases of the disease between January 3, 2020, and December 23, 2022. Between one million and two million deaths are predicted for China in 2023, according to experts.

According to Voices Against Autocracy (VAA), many felt the actual number of COVID deaths was much higher and accused Beijing of underreporting. Even the WHO urged China for “more detailed” data while expressing concern over the underrepresentation of the severity of the viral outbreaks in the country. (ANI)

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