Reports began circulating in the media on October 2 regarding the possible death from pneumonic plague of a laboratory technician at the Siberian and Far Eastern Research Institute for Plague Control in Irkutsk Region, Russia.
In response to inquiries from Mongolia’s National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD), the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) provided information by email stating that, following an investigation into the incident, no cases of plague had been confirmed.
Relevant Mongolian agencies, including the Ministry of Health, Customs General Administration, NCZD, National Center for Communicable Diseases, and National Center for Public Health, conducted a rapid risk assessment of the situation in Russia’s Irkutsk Region. The assessment concluded that the risk of the disease spreading to Mongolia is “low”.
Russian authorities have officially reported that the woman’s illness was not confirmed to be plague and that she was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown origin. International reporting likewise says no plague cases have been confirmed among those who had contact with her.
Despite the low risk, the following preventive measures are being implemented:
- Strengthening surveillance and monitoring at border crossing points;
- Ensuring the necessary resources and preparedness;
- Regularly obtaining information from relevant international and Russian authorities; and
- Conducting daily electronic monitoring of the situation and providing updates to relevant organizations.
The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation in cooperation with relevant agencies and provide official, verified information as it becomes available.
Reports began circulating in the media on October 2 regarding the possible death from pneumonic plague of a laboratory technician at the Siberian and Far Eastern Research Institute for Plague Control in Irkutsk Region, Russia.
In response to inquiries from Mongolia’s National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD), the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) provided information by email stating that, following an investigation into the incident, no cases of plague had been confirmed.
Relevant Mongolian agencies, including the Ministry of Health, Customs General Administration, NCZD, National Center for Communicable Diseases, and National Center for Public Health, conducted a rapid risk assessment of the situation in Russia’s Irkutsk Region. The assessment concluded that the risk of the disease spreading to Mongolia is “low”.
Russian authorities have officially reported that the woman’s illness was not confirmed to be plague and that she was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown origin. International reporting likewise says no plague cases have been confirmed among those who had contact with her.
Despite the low risk, the following preventive measures are being implemented:
- Strengthening surveillance and monitoring at border crossing points;
- Ensuring the necessary resources and preparedness;
- Regularly obtaining information from relevant international and Russian authorities; and
- Conducting daily electronic monitoring of the situation and providing updates to relevant organizations.
The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation in cooperation with relevant agencies and provide official, verified information as it becomes available.