The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested information from the Russian authorities about media reports about a second laboratory employee who developed pneumonia of unknown origin. The request comes amid heightened attention to the case in Irkutsk, where an employee of a plague institute died last week, Reuters reported, quoted by News.bg.
The WHO has also requested additional data to help clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia, as well as information about the pathogen that led to the large-scale anti-epidemic measures.
The request from the international health organization was made after the Russian consumer protection and public health service Rospotrebnadzor announced on Tuesday that no cases of plague had been identified among people who had contact with the deceased employee of the Siberian and Far Eastern Research Plague Institute in Irkutsk.
The woman died last week after severe pneumonia of unknown origin. The case led to serious anti-epidemic measures due to initial concerns that the cause could be a particularly dangerous infection.
Nearly 200 people who were in contact with her have been placed under observation and tested. Some of the medical facilities in the area have been operating under an enhanced sanitary regime.
Russian authorities stated that no plague pathogens were found among the contact persons during the examinations and that the epidemiological situation is under control.
However, the new request from the WHO shows that the organization expects additional information from Moscow, including regarding reports of a second employee with pneumonia, as well as the specific pathogen that led to the activation of anti-epidemic measures.
There are currently no officially confirmed cases of plague in Irkutsk. The cause of the severe pneumonia, around which the investigation was launched, has not been definitively established.