A Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified information about possible plague cases as confidential, amid growing public concerns and suspicions of a potential outbreak.
What happened
A suspected plague case in Russia has sparked widespread concern, with posts on social media claiming pneumonic plague cases in China. An insider in China's disease prevention sector says plague cases have already appeared in some parts of the country, with a pandemic possible.
A resident of Chengdu, who wished to remain anonymous, reported visiting a hospital where a doctor mentioned a patient who had returned from Russia and died, with the case possibly related to the plague. The local CDC denied an investigation was underway but acknowledged conducting telephone-based screening for fever symptoms.
Meanwhile, a staff member at the Shuangliu District CDC stated that if someone contracts the plague, it would be considered an official secret and not disclosed to the public. Dr. Feng, who works in China's disease prevention sector, warned of a high possibility of a pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has not identified evidence of ongoing transmission associated with the suspected plague case in Russia, but will continue to monitor the situation. Neighboring countries have stepped up quarantine measures and testing to prevent a potential outbreak.
