Taiwan Monitors Online Claims of Plague Outbreak Spreading From Russia to China
(MENAFN) Taiwan plans to examine online reports claiming that pneumonic plague has spread from Russia to several Chinese provinces, with authorities considering whether additional border health precautions may be necessary, according to reports published Tuesday.
Premier Cho Jung-tai said the government could reinforce existing quarantine measures depending on the findings of its assessment.
During a legislative meeting, Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu questioned whether Taiwan was prepared to prevent a potential outbreak from reaching the island, pointing to frequent exchanges with mainland China.
Cho responded that health authorities had already implemented quarantine procedures at the border. He emphasized that the government was "highly, highly concerned," adding that officials would continue examining online information originating from China to identify any "suspicious" developments and determine whether further precautions were warranted.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese health officials have contacted the World Health Organization to investigate whether the death of a 28-year-old laboratory employee at Russia's Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute on October 2 was linked to pneumonic plague, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said.
"However, so far, no tests of pathogens or other samples have returned positive results, so it cannot be concluded at this point that plague was definitely the culprit," Shih said.
Premier Cho Jung-tai said the government could reinforce existing quarantine measures depending on the findings of its assessment.
During a legislative meeting, Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu questioned whether Taiwan was prepared to prevent a potential outbreak from reaching the island, pointing to frequent exchanges with mainland China.
Cho responded that health authorities had already implemented quarantine procedures at the border. He emphasized that the government was "highly, highly concerned," adding that officials would continue examining online information originating from China to identify any "suspicious" developments and determine whether further precautions were warranted.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese health officials have contacted the World Health Organization to investigate whether the death of a 28-year-old laboratory employee at Russia's Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute on October 2 was linked to pneumonic plague, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said.
"However, so far, no tests of pathogens or other samples have returned positive results, so it cannot be concluded at this point that plague was definitely the culprit," Shih said.
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