What happened
A Russian scientist's reported death has raised concerns about pneumonic plague and the Soviet Union's biological weapons legacy. The scientist worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia. Russian authorities claim there was no lab accident and the scientist did not die from pneumonic plague.
The Soviet Union had a sophisticated biological weapons program that included weaponizing the plague. According to reports, Soviet scientists successfully modified Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes pneumonic plague, to make it more deadly. They also experimented with inserting toxins into the bacterium, which could cause paralysis, high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat if antibiotics were used to treat the plague.
In response to the reported incident, several hospitals in Siberia have been shut down and placed under quarantine. Russia has also initiated mandatory temperature checks for passengers flying into Moscow from Irkutsk. Nearby countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, have heightened border and sanitary controls for travelers coming from Russia.
Pneumonic plague is a highly infectious and deadly disease that can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. If left untreated, it can be fatal within 24 hours. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider pneumonic plague the most serious form of the disease.
