UK preppers have outlined six steps they would take if a plague outbreak from Russia spreads, following the death of a young scientist at a Siberian research facility. The case has sparked global concern, with the US Secretary of State saying it is "cause for focus" rather than alarm.
Russian lab worker death
Darya Shipilova, 28, worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia. She became seriously ill with severe pneumonia of "unknown origin" on September 29 and died on Friday, October 2. Unconfirmed reports from Russia and Europe suggest she may have accidentally broken a tube containing live plague bacteria days before falling ill.
Authorities have ordered mass medical surveillance of people who may have had contact with Shipilova. Russian media reported that nearly 200 contacts were under medical observation as a precaution.
US response
Asked for an update on the suspected plague case, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "It seems that there was a worker at the lab that was infected and there's concern that, you know, could have spread, at least internally - you've seen them do quarantine of this and that nature."
He added: "If something like that gets out, it can quickly spread. So we're watching and monitoring it closely. I don't think it's cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and the cause to just keep an eye on it and we're doing that."
Prepper plans
In the UK Preppers community on Reddit, one user asked how people were preparing for a potential plague outbreak. The post asked: "What signals would make you concerned about a wider outbreak? You're plan? Chosen kit (I.e. mask)"
Hundreds responded with plans, many making the same six remarks. One said: "If it comes here, plan to avoid human contact. All the COVID, social distancing measures will be relevant again. Masks and whatnot. Expect panic buying, get ahead of the curve. In all likelihood nothing will come of it."
A second said: "I would be looking at natural, less known remedies. Prevention is better than cure - raw clove of garlic a day, crushed, left to stand for 15 minutes then swallowed could help."
A third said: "Standard everyday hygiene out and about, regular hand washing, I carry hand gel and use after public transport etc anyway. Preventative nasal sprays - again I always use them for planes, might use them for general public transport if I remember. Get my annual flu jab. It is possible to get private Covid jabs, I haven't looked into what strains the latest ones cover though and they're about £90."
They added: "Medicine cupboard is stocked with standard medications - paracetamol, decongestants, throat sweets. Monitoring devices - thermometer, pulse ox, blood pressure, so we can monitor ourselves if we get any symptoms."
Plague symptoms and treatment
Pneumonic plague, the form causing concern in Russia, affects the lungs. According to the UK Health Security Agency, symptoms can include fever, headache, weakness and rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing. Patients often cough up bloody or watery mucus.
Unlike bubonic plague, pneumonic plague can spread directly between humans through infectious respiratory particles, normally requiring close and prolonged contact. Symptoms generally develop between one and seven days after infection. Without treatment, pneumonic plague is usually deadly, but it is caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics if caught quickly.
The UK Government website says: "Pneumonic plague is the rarest and also the most severe form of plague. It may result from spread to the lungs from advanced bubonic plague but is more usually due to inhalation of infectious particles. Person-to-person transmission is seen but the degree of contact needed is not clear. Patients present with a rapidly developing pneumonia and may produce bloody sputum. Untreated pneumonic plague is almost always fatal."
Even with prompt treatment, mortality is around 30%. Pneumonic plague is classed as a high consequence infectious disease, and there are currently no commercially available vaccines.
