A plague scare in Siberia has become a Rorschach test for public health fears in a post-Covid world.
Russian officials are investigating the death of a worker at a plague research laboratory. They say she died of pneumonia. But speculation online has suggested she may have died from pneumonic plague. Russian authorities deny this and say there is no risk of an outbreak.
So why has the story sparked so much alarm? And how has the legacy of the Covid pandemic played into people’s fears of another global health crisis?
The BBC’s health reporter, Jim Reed, joins The Global Story’s Tristan Redman to explain what we know about the case in Russia – and whether the world is prepared for a potential outbreak.
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#PneumonicPlague #Outbreak #GlobalStory #Russia #Covid #BBCNews
0:00 Why are people worried about a plague outbreak in Russia?
0:47 Introduction to Jim Reed, BBC Health Reporter
1:29 Where is this outbreak in Russia?
4:58 What have the Russian authorities said?
5:27 How has this been covered around the world?
7:52 How have the WHO reacted?
10:10 What is plague and the different types of plague?
13:19 What is the pneumonic plague?
14:58 How common is pneumonic plague?
17:23 What is Donald Trump saying about the outbreak?
19:00 How has the US’s withdrawal from the WHO affected how the WHO are dealing with it?
20:49 The contrast between this outbreak and Ebola
23:23 Since Covid are we better equipped to deal with pandemics?
Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews
For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news
#PneumonicPlague #Outbreak #GlobalStory #Russia #Covid #BBCNews
Chapters:
0:00 Why are people worried about a plague outbreak in Russia?
0:47 Introduction to Jim Reed, BBC Health Reporter
1:29 Where is this outbreak in Russia?
4:58 What have the Russian authorities said?
5:27 How has this been covered around the world?
7:52 How have the WHO reacted?
10:10 What is plague and the different types of plague?
13:19 What is the pneumonic plague?
14:58 How common is pneumonic plague?
17:23 What is Donald Trump saying about the outbreak?
19:00 How has the US’s withdrawal from the WHO affected how the WHO are dealing with it?
20:49 The contrast between this outbreak and Ebola
23:23 Since Covid are we better equipped to deal with pandemics?
