Thailand says suspected Russian plague case poses low risk to Phuket

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) says the risk of plague being imported from Russia remains low, meaning no additional travel restrictions or special screening measures are currently planned at international entry points, including those serving Phuket.

The assessment followed reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case involving a 28-year-old laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. The woman developed severe pneumonia of unknown cause and died after being admitted to hospital on September 29, the DDC said on October 5.

At least 197 people who had contact with her were reportedly under medical observation. The DDC said there was no laboratory confirmation that she had died from infection with Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague, and no evidence of person-to-person transmission.

Dr Direk Khampan, deputy director-general of the DDC, said Thailand’s existing surveillance system was sufficient. Travellers with fever and severe pneumonia, together with a relevant exposure history, can be isolated, treated with antibiotics and investigated promptly.

The DDC said the incident remained geographically limited and that the World Health Organization had not recommended tighter travel restrictions. Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, reported that further testing found no microorganisms associated with the woman’s professional work and no accident involving pathogenic microorganisms at the institute.

Thailand classifies plague as a dangerous communicable disease under the Communicable Diseases Act 2015, requiring suspected cases to be reported immediately without waiting for laboratory confirmation. The DDC said it would continue monitoring the situation. Public enquiries can be made through its 1422 hotline.