As worries about a potential plague outbreak in Russia grow, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that the State Department is closely monitoring the situation.
Last week, a lab technician in Siberia passed away from what is suspected to be the pneumonic plague after breaking a test tube at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.
We brought you the full scoop on the situation here:
White House on High Alert as Plague Outbreak Spreads in Russia
With the midterms right around the corner, some folks are concerned that another manufactured pandemic is in the works…
But, Marco Rubio is assuring the American public that this is likely nothing to worry about.
Even so, the State Department is watching it, just in case.
In his words, it’s not “cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on.”
Watch what Rubio had to say here:
“We’re watching and monitoring it closely.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirms U.S. officials are closely tracking reports of a suspected plague breach at a Russian research laboratory.
The concern follows reports that a Russian lab technician was infected and died, triggering localized quarantine measures in the region. U.S. health and security agencies are actively monitoring the potential risk of containment failure.
“I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on. And we’re doing that.”
The State Department is asking Russia to openly share developments on the situation.
NBC News shared a statement:
“Many details have not been confirmed,” a State Department spokesman said. “We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.” The spokesman said there had been “reports of a fatal case of suspected pneumonic plague” in Irkutsk oblast.
The pneumonic plague is highly-infectious and deadly, with a nearly 100% fatality rate if left untreated.
That said, with modern medicine, it is treatable. If caught early, that rate drops to around 17%.
The last big outbreak of this disease took place in the 1910s in Machuria.
Per the New York Post:
Pneumonic plague can spread from person to person via the air and is almost always fatal if not treated quickly with antibiotics.
Very few pneumonic plague cases are recorded each year — and those that are typically occur in Africa and burn out without spreading widely.
One of the worst known outbreaks occurred between October 1910 and April 1911 in Manchuria, killing about 60,000 people.
That outbreak was suppressed with widespread use of face masks and was believed to have been sparked by hunters handling tarbagan marmots.
Global concern about the Russian case follows the outbreak of COVID-19, which many believe leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in central China before killing more than 1.2 million Americans and dramatically impacting everyday life.
What do you think?
Are you concerned about the potential plague outbreak?
What are your thoughts?
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
The post WATCH: Marco Rubio Issues Statement on Suspected Plague Outbreak in Russia appeared first on 100PercentFedUp.com.
