Epidemiologists dismiss plague risk for Bulgaria following Russian reports

Epidemiologists and medical experts have assessed the risk of a plague outbreak in Bulgaria and Europe following reports of a potential case in Russia’s Irkutsk region. Experts, including Dr. Christiana Batselova and Prof. Asparuh Iliev, stated that the risk to Bulgaria and the EU is negligible. They noted that the World Health Organization has not officially classified the case in Russia as a death caused by plague, and data remains scarce.

Experts distinguished the characteristics of plague from COVID-19, noting that plague patients typically present in very severe condition, which limits the ease of asymptomatic transmission. Prof. Iliev also dismissed rumors regarding a laboratory accident involving broken glass test tubes, explaining that modern laboratories use sterile plastic consumables.

While the plague risk is considered low, Dr. Batselova expressed significant concern regarding the lack of injectable influenza vaccines in Bulgaria as of mid-October. She highlighted that unlike neighboring Greece, where vaccines are available in pharmacies, Bulgarian patients—including those with chronic illnesses and pregnant women—face uncertainty regarding vaccine availability and distribution.