Dr. Alireza Raisi, Deputy Minister of Health, reacted to recent concerns about the potential outbreak of plague in Russia during a suicide prevention conference, stating: "The plague has not yet been officially reported to the World Health Organization."
The necessity of an official report for health measures
In an interview with reporters, he noted that according to international health regulations (IHR), member countries are required to officially report emerging and re-emerging diseases that occur in their country to the World Health Organization. Raisi added: "If you ask me what the World Health Organization has announced about the plague, the answer is that no action has been announced in this regard yet."
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The plague, a treatable bacterial disease
The Deputy Minister of Health further discussed the characteristics of the plague, stating: "The plague is a bacterial disease and is treatable with antibiotics." He also referred to the methods of transmission of this disease, explaining that one way the plague is transmitted is through rats and rodents. Fleas that live on these rodents can transmit the plague bacteria to humans.
Raisi pointed out that the incubation period for the plague is short, saying: "A person who is exposed to the bite of an infected flea may show symptoms of the disease within two to three days." He also explained that there are different types of plague, one of which is called "bubonic plague" and another is "pneumonic plague," which poses a greater risk.
Ministry of Health's actions against the plague
Dr. Raisi spoke about the actions of the Ministry of Health, stating: "We have informed all medical universities in the country and have communicated the symptoms of the disease to them. Fortunately, doctors are familiar with this disease, and the country's surveillance system is active in this regard."
He also mentioned that if even one case of plague is identified in the country, the Ministry of Health is obligated to report the matter to the World Health Organization. However, he assured that no cases of plague have been identified in Iran so far.
Current conditions of travel and international communications
Raisi discussed the status of travel and international communications, stating: "Our country has much less interaction with various countries due to a significant reduction in international travel." He added that in the past, travel to different countries was more frequent, but this situation has changed due to specific circumstances.
Finally, Dr. Raisi emphasized that the plague is no longer a widespread disease in the world and is currently almost eradicated globally. "We have not had even one case of this disease in the country to date," he said, urging everyone to ignore rumors and trust official information.
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