DOH closely monitoring situation in Russia amid pneumonic plague scare

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) is closely monitoring the situation in Russia following reports of a possible pneumonic plague case, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the DOH is taking the issue seriously and following recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Nakausap natin mismo ang DOH, closely monitoring sila sa nagaganap at sineseryoso din po ng DOH ang mga rekomendasyon ng WHO (We spoke directly with the DOH, and they are closely monitoring what is happening and they taking the WHO's recommendations seriously),” Castro said in a media briefing in Singapore where President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to embark on a five-day working visit.

“Rest assured po, ang mga kababayan natin po nakatutok po ang DOH, kung anuman ang kailangan nilang gawin ay yun ang kanilang gagawin (Rest assured, the DOH is closely monitoring the situation involving our countrymen, and they will take whatever action is necessary),” she added.

The concern stems from the reported death of a laboratory worker in Irkutsk, Siberia, who worked at an institute that studies plague and other dangerous pathogens.

Russian authorities have been investigating whether pneumonic plague caused her death.