Uzbekistan tightens sanitary controls after reports of a possible plague case in Russia

Uzbekistan has raised the readiness of its sanitary and epidemiological services following reports of a possible case of a particularly dangerous infection in Russia's Irkutsk region.

As reported by Uzbekistan's Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-Being and Public Health, the measures are aimed at preventing the possible importation and spread of the infection.

The reason was reports of a suspected case of plague in the city of Shelekhov in the Irkutsk region.

Uzbek specialists are monitoring the situation based on official data from the competent Russian authorities and the World Health Organization. Information is currently being analyzed regarding laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis, the possible source and mechanism of infection, as well as the patient's movements and the people who may have been in contact with her.

According to Russian media, a 28-year-old woman died on the night of October 2 at the Shelekhov district hospital. After that, about 200 people were placed under medical observation.

It was also reported that the woman worked at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute. Among the versions being considered is a possible incident in the laboratory, where a test tube containing the plague pathogen could have been broken.

At the same time, there is still no official confirmation of the diagnosis or of the circumstances of the possible infection. A number of Russian media outlets also