From plague to monkeypox? Russia investigates five suspected cases in Moscow region
Photo: All five people are currently in hospital (Getty Images)
A new incident has occurred in Russia following a plague outbreak in the Irkutsk region. This time, the Moscow region is in focus, with monkeypox suspected in five people, according to the Russian Telegram channel SHOT.
On Thursday, October 15, the channel reported that an ambulance had picked up five patients on Gorky Street in Zhukovsky and taken them to Ramenskoye Hospital. They were hospitalized after coming into contact with a person suspected of carrying monkeypox on October 10.
The hospitalized patients include three men and two women aged 21 to 35. They are:
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Vladimir, 29, and Alexander, 27, who are brothers;
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Kirill, 35, and Daria, 30, who are married;
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Anita, 22, a Belarusian citizen.
All five patients are in moderate condition. However, the monkeypox diagnosis remains preliminary.
Other incidents in Russia
On September 25, a test tube containing the pathogen that causes pneumonic plague broke at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute after being dropped by 28-year-old Daria Shpilova. On September 29, she was hospitalized with pneumonia, and she died on October 2.
Russian officials said that plague tests had come back negative and the diagnosis had not been confirmed. However, media reports alleged that authorities were attempting to conceal the scale of the outbreak.
Following the incident, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was closely monitoring developments. He emphasized that the situation was a cause for concern.
US President Donald Trump, in turn, said Washington was ready to provide assistance to Russia.
