Central Asian States Tighten Borders After Russian Plague Death

Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have tightened border controls over fears of plague introduction following the death of a Russian researcher from pneumonic plague last week. The measures include increased checks and sanitary-quarantine controls at border crossings. Kazakhstan's health ministry stated the risk of infection import remains low, while all three countries aim to prevent the spread of dangerous infectious diseases. The researcher, Darya Shipilova, died in a hospital in Russia's Irkutsk region after working at a plague research facility. A quarantine affecting about 200 people was declared, and the White House has also shown interest in the situation.