Estonia sees no higher plague risk after Russian death
Tuesday 6th October 2026 on 19:00 in
Estonia
Estonia’s risk from plague has not increased following the death of a laboratory worker at a plague research institute in Russia, Juta Varjas of the Health Board told the public broadcaster ERR.
The worker fell ill and died at the institute in Siberia’s Irkutsk region in circumstances that have not been made public. Authorities placed dozens of people in quarantine. Russian officials said on Monday that the situation was under control, while a source in the country’s health sector told a media outlet that doctors in Irkutsk were discussing plague even though it was not mentioned in official documents.
Varjas said Estonia had no verified information from Russia, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the case. However, she said there was no reason to believe the risk was higher than usual in Estonia or neighbouring countries, in line with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s risk assessment.
Plague still occurs in natural reservoirs around the world and is occasionally transmitted to people. Cases were recorded in several countries in 2025, and the disease has been diagnosed in the Americas, Asia and Africa. Estonia has no natural plague reservoirs, Varjas said.
The disease is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Small rodents maintain its natural reservoirs, and fleas play an important role in transmission. Plague can be treated with antibiotics, which are available in Estonia, Varjas said.
The bubonic form can follow a flea bite and causes fever, severe discomfort and swollen, painful lymph nodes. It is not directly spread from person to person. The septicemic form occurs when the bacteria enter the bloodstream, damaging organs and causing bleeding; it is also not directly contagious. The rarest form, pneumonic plague, affects the respiratory tract and can spread to others through droplets from a person’s cough. It is the most dangerous form, Varjas said.
Without treatment, particularly treatment started promptly, the disease has a high death rate. Varjas said Estonia’s border authorities have epidemic response plans and know whom to notify if they receive a signal about a disease of this kind.