Thailand monitors suspected pneumonic plague death in Russia

Reports from Russia concerned 28 year old Darya Shipilova, a laboratory technician who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia.

DDC director-general Montien Khanasawat said the woman developed severe pneumonia of an unknown cause and died after being admitted for treatment on September 29.

At least 197 people who had contact with her are being monitored by local public health officials. So far, none of the contacts has developed symptoms.

Montien said there is no laboratory confirmation that the woman died from plague caused by Yersinia pestis, and no evidence that the infection has spread from person to person.

Although the incident remains a suspected case, the DDC has instructed its epidemiology division to seek further information directly from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The department’s preliminary risk assessment found that the likelihood of the disease being imported into Thailand is low because the incident remains confined to a specific area, with no reports of community transmission or spread elsewhere.

The WHO has also not issued an alert or introduced any additional travel restrictions in connection with the case.

Montien said plague is classified as a dangerous communicable disease under Thailand’s Communicable Diseases Act 2015 because of its severity. Suspected cases must therefore be reported immediately, without waiting for laboratory confirmation or a final diagnosis.

Pneumonic plague can spread from an infectious patient to another person through respiratory droplets, particularly during close contact, he said.

The disease has a relatively short incubation period, but Montien said established control measures include rapid detection and diagnosis, patient isolation, antibiotic treatment and monitoring of people who have been in contact with a patient.

He also clarified that plague is the general name for infections caused by Yersinia pestis, while pneumonic plague is a form in which the bacteria infect or spread to the lungs and can be transmitted from person to person.

DDC deputy director-general Direk Khamphaen said Thailand does not currently need to impose additional restrictions on travel or flights, or introduce special screening at international points of entry.

He said the country’s routine disease surveillance system is considered sufficient to respond to the situation.

Because plague is covered by the Communicable Diseases Act 2015, Thailand maintains epidemiological surveillance, disease investigation procedures and laboratory preparedness for suspected cases.

Travellers who develop fever together with severe pneumonia and have a relevant history of possible exposure can be isolated, treated with antibiotics and investigated without delay, according to the DDC.

The department said it will continue monitoring and assessing the situation and will provide further information if significant new evidence becomes available.