Nepal monitoring Russia illness reports, says risk remains low
Summary
Nepal has put its health surveillance system on high alert after reports of a suspected plague-related incident in Russia, though officials say the risk remains extremely low. The WHO says no confirmed plague case has been reported in Irkutsk oblast and Nepalese authorities have urged the public not to panic.
Key Points
- Nepal has increased disease surveillance and placed the Tribhuvan International Airport health desk on heightened alert after reports from Russia.
- The WHO says the cause of the illness in Irkutsk oblast has not been confirmed, and Russian authorities say no plague case has recently been registered there.
- Health officials in Nepal say there is no evidence of a plague threat in the country and no reason for public panic.
- Testing for plague is available at the National Public Health Laboratory in Teku, and treatment services are available in Nepal.
