Dozens of people have been quarantined in Russia’s Siberia after a laboratory worker at a plague research institute fell ill and died in undisclosed circumstances.
asserted
worker → quarantine → circumstances
Russian news outlet People of Baikal reported the woman may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube and died.
uncertain
woman → report → tube
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Plague is a severe, life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.
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Plague → die → bacterium
Between 1346 and 1353, the bubonic plague – one of three forms of the disease – was known as the Black Death.
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plague → know → Death
It caused one of the most fatal pandemics in the world across Eurasia and North Africa.
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It → cause → Eurasia
Some 30-60 percent of the population of Europe is believed to have died in that outbreak.
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percent → believe → outbreak
It is a severe form of the infection that can spread from person to person.
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that → spread → person
What happened in the Russian lab and should we be worried?
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we → happen → lab
Here’s what we know:
What happened in the Russian lab?
On Monday, Russian media reported that a 28-year-old woman named Darya Shipilova, who had been working at the Irkutsk Anti-plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, died from suspected pneumonic plague last week.
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who → ’ → plague
According to some Russian media reports, Shipilova became ill while at work on September 30 and died two days later at a hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov.
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Shipilova → accord → Shelekhov
A number of media reports suggest there may have been an accident at the lab, but this has not been officially confirmed.
uncertain
this → suggest → lab
About 200 people who came into contact with the dead woman have since been quarantined, and parts of the hospital where she died have also been cordoned off.
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she → come → hospital
An aluminium plant nearby has instructed its workers to wear masks.
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plant → instruct → masks
Anna Popova, head of Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, flew to Irkutsk to meet with Governor Igor Kobzev and other officials four days ago.
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Popova → fly → Kobzev
In a statement quoted by the TASS news agency, Rospotrebnadzor said officials in Irkutsk region had, however, detected two cases of COVID and two cases of rhinoviruses among people who had been in contact with the researcher.
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who → quote → researcher
No other cases of infectious diseases were noted.
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cases → note → diseases
Later on Monday, Russian authorities said they found no evidence that the woman’s illness was caused by any of the pathogens she worked with and said the situation was under control.
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situation → say → control
Kobzev said in a statement that the woman had died of “pneumonia of unknown aetiology”, adding: “Importantly, over the past few days, no new cases of staff from the Anti-Plague Institute seeking medical attention have been identified.”
He added that the situation was under control and that all known contacts with the dead woman had been identified, examined and placed under medical supervision.
What is plague and what are its symptoms?
The bacterium which causes plague, Yersinia pestis, is carried by small wild mammals and their fleas.
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which → say → mammals
In Siberia, where it is endemic, it is rare for Russians to fall ill with plague, however, though cases occur every year in other parts of the world, notably in Africa.
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cases → fall → Africa
According to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, plague has been detected in people of all ages, from babies to those aged in their 90s.
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plague → accord → 90s
Half of cases occur in people aged from 12 to 45.
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Half → occur → 45
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bubonic plague is the most common clinical form.
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plague → accord → Organization
Symptoms include painful swollen lymph nodes or “buboes”.
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Symptoms → include → nodes
Septicaemic plague infects the blood while pneumonic plague affects the lungs.
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plague → infect → lungs
The WHO describes septicaemic and pneumonic plague as “less common, but severe forms” of plague.
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WHO → describe → plague
It can be contracted by eating infected meat.
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It → contract → meat
According to the US-based Cleveland Clinic, besides swollen lymph nodes in the case of bubonic plague, those infected can display the following symptoms:
- Fever and chills.
- Headaches and body aches.
- Weakness and fatigue.
- Dizziness.
uncertain
those → accord → Weakness
Complications can arise from plague if it is untreated, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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it → arise → Clinic
These include:
- Meningitis – a severe infection which causes the inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord.
- Tissue death and loss of limbs from gangrene.
- Respiratory failure.
- Organ failure.
Bubonic plague has a fatality rate of 30 percent to 60 percent.
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plague → include → 60
Pneumonic and septicaemic plague are both fatal if left untreated within one to six days, the WHO says.
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WHO → leave → days
If identified quickly, however, all forms can be treated with antibiotics.
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forms → identify → antibiotics
How does plague spread?
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plague → spread → ?
Plague most commonly spreads through the bites of fleas carried by rodents, but can also be transmitted from person to person.
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Plague → spread → person
According to the CDC in the US, people can also become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats.
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people → accord → pets
These are the main ways the disease can be transmitted:
Flea bites
According to the CDC, people and animals can contract plague from dead rats carrying the disease as well as being bitten by fleas which have bitten infected rats.
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which → transmit → rats
“Dogs and cats may also bring plague-infected fleas into the home.
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Dogs → bring → home
Flea bite exposure may result in primary bubonic plague or septicemic plague,” the CDC states.
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CDC → result → plague
Humans can contract plague through contact with the tissue or body fluids of an infected animal.
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Humans → contract → animal
This form of exposure most commonly results in bubonic plague or septicaemic plague, according to the CDC.
uncertain
form → result → CDC
Infectious droplets
Droplets coughed out by humans and animals infected with pneumonic plague can hang in the air and be inhaled by another person.
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Droplets → cough → person
…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
