Experts: Global pneumonic plague pandemic risk is very low

Experts say a global pneumonic plague pandemic is highly unlikely following the death of a Siberian lab worker, despite nearly 200 people being isolated. The woman's cause of death has not been officially confirmed. Modern antibiotics are highly effective against plague, with clinical trials showing 91-92% efficacy for bubonic plague. Unlike Covid-19, pneumonic plague is only contagious after severe symptoms appear within 24 hours, allowing rapid identification and isolation of cases. Plague remains endemic in rodent populations worldwide, causing local outbreaks like Madagascar's 2017 epidemic with 2,417 cases. However, WHO assesses the current risk as very low for Europe, and strict laboratory safety protocols make accidental exposure extremely rare.