Kyrgyzstan has intensified sanitary control on its border with Russia due to reports of a potential case of plague recorded in the Irkutsk region. Despite the increased measures, Kyrgyz authorities have not imposed any entry restrictions from Russia or suspended the operation of border crossing points.
The Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan informed on October 4th about the introduction of additional measures. This enhanced control covers people, vehicles, and cargo, and its goal is to prevent the entry and further spread of highly dangerous infections.
The current state of sanitary and epidemiological control includes questioning arrivals about their well-being and conducting visual inspections. If there are epidemiological grounds, temperature measurement is performed, and if a person with symptoms of infectious disease is found, they are isolated and anti-epidemic measures are applied.
The reason for tightening control was the situation in the city of Shelekhov, Irkutsk region, where an employee of the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute died. Russian media indicated that the death was caused by plague, and the head of Buryatia, Alexey Tsydenov, publicly confirmed that the woman died specifically from this disease.
Against the backdrop of these reports, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov strongly recommended relying on official data from Rospotrebnadzor rather than rumors and unverified assumptions. The agency itself clarified that no microorganisms related to her professional activities were found in the deceased employee, and examinations of individuals who had been in contact with her did not reveal health problems related to infections.
Rospotrebnadzor also assured that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region remains stable. Earlier, the region's governor, Igor Kobzev, reported the detection of a dangerous infectious disease and the implementation of corresponding anti-epidemic measures.
Furthermore, the Sanitary and Epidemiological Committee of Uzbekistan also increased the readiness of its services against the background of information about a possible case of plague in the Irkutsk region.