Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has increased the readiness of relevant services following information about a case of a particularly dangerous infectious disease in Russia’s Irkutsk region. The measures are aimed at preventing the possible importation and spread of infections, the press service of the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health said.
The increased controls follow reports of a suspected case of plague in the city of Shelekhov, Irkutsk region.
Uzbek specialists are monitoring developments based on official information from Russian competent authorities and the World Health Organization. They are currently analysing information on laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis, the possible source and mechanism of infection, the movements of the patient and people who may have been in contact with her.
The committee urged Uzbek citizens not to disseminate or treat as reliable information from unverified sources. If the epidemiological situation changes, additional information will be made available to the public.
According to Russian media reports, a 28-year-old woman died at Shelekhov District Hospital on the night of 2 October. Following the incident, about 200 people were placed under medical observation.
Russian media also reported that the woman worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute. One of the versions being considered is a possible incident in a laboratory where a test tube containing the plague pathogen may have broken. The exact causes and circumstances are being established.
Some Russian media outlets have suggested that the disease may have been a pulmonary form of plague. However, this information has not been officially confirmed at this time.
