Rospotrebnadzor denies reports of a second illness case in Russia's Irkutsk region
In short
Rospotrebnadzor said on 8 October that social media reports of a second case of illness, in a contact of an Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute employee who had been diagnosed with pneumonia, were untrue. The agency said medical observation of all contacts had been completed, nearly 5,000 laboratory tests found no dangerous pathogens, and the World Health Organization does not confirm any new cases.
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Rospotrebnadzor on 8 October denied reports of a second case of illness in a person who had contact with an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute who had earlier been diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia. "In connection with fake information that appeared on social networks about a second case of illness... Rospotrebnadzor reports that this information does not correspond to reality," the agency's press service said, as quoted by RIA Novosti and Interfax. TASS, Kommersant, Vedomosti and RBC also reported the denial. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The agency said medical observation of all contacts had been completed and no health problems linked to infection had been found. It said nearly 5,000 laboratory tests had found no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms, and described the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region and the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov as calm. Vedomosti reported that all preventive measures after the pneumonia case had been completed. [ 2 , 5 ]
Rospotrebnadzor said the World Health Organization also does not confirm information about new cases. According to Kommersant, the agency said Russia had sent WHO comprehensive information on the epidemiological situation and the measures taken, in response to WHO requests. Vedomosti reported that on 7 October WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Russia had notified the organisation that no plague cases had been registered recently in the Irkutsk region. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
The employee died on the night of 2 October after being diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology, Vedomosti reported. Rospotrebnadzor said on 4 October that a special set of measures had been carried out and that extended tests found no microorganisms linked to her professional work, Interfax reported. A commission checking biosafety at the institute found no accidents involving pathogenic microorganisms, and its conclusions were confirmed by an expert commission sent on the instruction of Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova (Анна Попова). Vedomosti reported that two COVID-19 cases and two rhinovirus infections were later found among contacts, and that on 7 October the agency said observation had been completed for more than 90% of them. [ 4 , 5 ]
Earlier, regional governor Igor Kobzev (Игорь Кобзев) said a dangerous infectious disease had been detected in the region, and the regional government held an extraordinary meeting of its sanitary and anti-epidemic commission with Popova, RIA Novosti reported. On 6 October US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Russia to be "transparent" and give the world more information, Interfax reported, adding that an unnamed State Department official told CNN that US authorities had been in contact with the Russian government since the previous Friday. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The denial addresses public concern over an illness at an anti-plague research institute, a case that, according to Interfax, had drawn a call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Russia to be transparent. Rospotrebnadzor describes the situation in the Irkutsk region as calm, and Vedomosti reports that WHO has been told no recent plague cases were registered there.
Key facts
- Rospotrebnadzor said reports of a second case of illness in a person who had contact with an Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute employee were untrue. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The agency called the reports fake information that had appeared on social media. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Medical observation of all contacts has been completed, with no infection-related health problems found, according to Rospotrebnadzor. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Nearly 5,000 laboratory tests found no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms, the agency said. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Rospotrebnadzor said the World Health Organization also does not confirm information about new cases. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The institute employee died on the night of 2 October after being diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology, Vedomosti reported. [ 5 ]
- Extended tests found no microorganisms linked to the employee's professional work, according to Rospotrebnadzor. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Rospotrebnadzor denied reports of a second case of illness in a contact of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute employee. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Rospotrebnadzor said WHO does not confirm information about new cases. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Medical observation of all contacts has been completed and nearly 5,000 laboratory tests found no dangerous pathogens. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Rospotrebnadzor described the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region and the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov as calm. [ 2 , 5 ]
- The employee had been diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Extended tests on the employee found no microorganisms linked to her professional work. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- What illness the institute employee had. The diagnosis was given only as pneumonia of unknown etiology, also described as community-acquired pneumonia.
- What Governor Igor Kobzev's earlier statement about a dangerous infectious disease referred to. Reported only by RIA Novosti, which does not say how it relates to Rospotrebnadzor's later findings.
- WHO's assessment of the risk of an emergency in the Irkutsk region. Kommersant's text on this point is partly missing, so the exact WHO position is not clear.
- The origin of the social media reports about a second case. The documents do not say who spread them.
- US contacts with the Russian government about the case. Reported only by Interfax, citing an unnamed State Department official speaking to CNN.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that information about a second case of illness in Irkutsk is untrue. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti publishes the Rospotrebnadzor statement calling the second-case reports fake. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reports the denial and the agency's statement that WHO does not confirm new cases. [ 3 ]
- Interfax reports the denial with background on the case and US calls for transparency. [ 4 ]
- Vedomosti reports the denial with background on the employee's death and contacts' test results. [ 5 ]
- RBC reports that WHO has not confirmed new cases, citing Rospotrebnadzor via Interfax. [ 6 ]