After Suspected Plague Death in Russia... KDCA: "Risk in South Korea Is Low"

WHO: "No Evidence of Sustained Transmission"
Surveillance to Be Strengthened for Arrivals from Russia
Suspected Cases to Be Isolated Immediately

Amid cases of pneumonia of unknown cause suspected to be pneumonic plague in Russia's Irkutsk region, quarantine authorities assessed the likelihood of the disease entering and spreading in South Korea as very low.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on October 13 that it had held a situation review meeting the previous day and maintained its overall risk assessment for the incident at "low." The KDCA had earlier conducted a rapid risk assessment on October 7, rating the overall domestic risk as "low," with the likelihood of occurrence "very low" and the potential impact "low."

According to the report, an employee of Russia's Anti-Plague Research Institute was hospitalized with pneumonia symptoms on September 29. The employee's condition worsened, and they died on October 2. Of the 197 contacts, including institute employees and medical staff, 189 are under quarantine and observation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and major overseas health authorities are reported to have assessed the risk associated with this case as generally low based on the information available so far. The WHO also said it had found no evidence of sustained transmission linked to the incident, and that the main uncertainty was the lack of a confirmed diagnosis for the deceased laboratory employee.

The KDCA said, "Although the pathogen has not yet been clearly identified, we have reviewed our preparedness to ensure a rapid and coordinated response, in accordance with relevant guidelines, covering quarantine, surveillance, diagnosis, epidemiological investigations, and the management of patients and contacts in case of an outbreak of the suspected pathogen, the plague bacterium, including preparations for its possible introduction into South Korea."

The KDCA will strengthen surveillance, focusing on travelers arriving in South Korea with a history of travel to or residence in Russia who have fever or respiratory symptoms. It will continue to monitor developments and risk assessment results, and plans to take necessary quarantine measures, such as designating a quarantine management area, if the risk level rises.

If a suspected case is identified, the patient will be promptly transferred to a nationally designated hospital bed for isolation and treatment. The KDCA said that, in addition to antibiotics and other treatments available on the market, it has secured sufficient reserve supplies to prepare for emergencies.

The KDCA said, "We will share information with the WHO and the international community, including Europe, and continue to monitor developments. At the same time, we will strengthen proactive preparations against the disease's introduction into South Korea and promptly share accurate information and updates on the situation so that the public does not become unduly concerned."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.