After the mysterious death of a young female employee at a Russian anti-plague research institute due to pneumonic plague, rumors about the disease quickly spread on Chinese social media platforms. A resident from Sichuan revealed that after seeking medical attention for fever, they received a call from the local disease control center inquiring about any symptoms related to plague. The resident also mentioned that doctors at the hospital mentioned the death of a local individual related to the Russian plague, and local netizens who privately discussed the topic received warnings from local authorities.
The Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia, Russia, reported the death of a 28-year-old lab worker, Darya Shipilova, on October 2 due to “severe pneumonia of unknown cause,” triggering international concerns about the outbreak of pneumonic plague and accidental laboratory exposure.
As the situation escalated, the World Health Organization (WHO) requested more information from Russia on October 7 and sought clarification on reports of a “second employee possibly suffering from unknown pneumonia” in the media.
Reports indicated that Central Asian countries have also strengthened prevention and detection measures, while Mongolia has implemented health monitoring at the border with Russia. Chinese provinces such as Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Hunan, and Guangdong have successively issued plague prevention and control alerts.
Recently, on Chinese social media, an individual claiming to be a P4 laboratory worker revealed that there have been cases of pneumonic plague-related deaths in Shanghai and Chongqing, with both patients having entered China from Russia.
Following the circulation of plague-related information on social media, it triggered panic among the general public.
The authenticity of online claims is questionable. In Chengdu, Sichuan, a regular citizen informed during a medical visit that a man who returned from Russia had died.
Sun Jingyang, a resident of Shuangliu District in Chengdu, mentioned in an interview with Epoch Times that he went to the hospital for fever and the doctor mentioned a man who returned from Russia and might have some connection to the plague. He recounted a phone call from the local disease control center inquiring about plague-related symptoms.
Sun Jingyang recalled the doctor mentioning a case possibly involving a man who returned to Shuangliu from Russia and died two days after returning.
Regarding the situation, a male staff member from the Shuangliu District Disease Control Center stated they were conducting phone inquiries but denied conducting plague investigations.
The staff member further explained, “The situation you mentioned is indeed being investigated by our disease control center, but it has nothing to do with the plague. It’s mainly about asking whether there is fever.”
In response to the rumor mill circulating online and conflicting accounts between officials and citizens, new variables emerged in the dissemination of information.
Sun Jingyang disclosed that another Sichuan netizen, Chen Sihan, mentioned cases in various regions such as Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Gansu, Zhangzhou in Fujian, Shanghai, Beijing, and hinted at possible cases in Chongqing involving individuals falling ill and dying after returning from abroad.
However, when discussing the events with Epoch Times journalists, Chen Sihan appeared cautious, emphasizing the importance of discerning information independently in the face of the proliferation of online content.
Chen Sihan also revealed that after privately chatting with a netizen from Shuangliu (Sun Jingyang), she received a warning from the authorities.
Concerning more details, she chose to remain silent, underscoring the monitoring on all platforms and the necessity for individuals to rely on their own discernment ability.
Apart from the plague rumors in Sichuan, a villager from Ningxia, Ms. Lin, reported suspected cases of infectious diseases in her village.
Ms. Lin stated that her cousin’s daughter was mistakenly diagnosed as having a cold initially but later diagnosed with “epidemic hemorrhagic fever,” which subsequently improved with treatment, leading to her discharge from the hospital.
Epidemic hemorrhagic fever is a natural focal viral infectious disease primarily transmitted by rodents, caused by the Hantavirus.
She mentioned another similar case in the village recently, with the patient being sent for treatment to Xi’an. The local authorities distributed medicines, sticky traps for rodents and offered free flu vaccine inoculations to residents.
However, based solely on the account of Ms. Lin, it is inadequate to determine the precise diagnosis of local cases or affirm the anti-plague measures are in place.
As domestic information control tightens, overseas reactions paint a different picture.
A Chinese individual working in Vietnam, Mr. Ruan, stated he heard from Russian friends that Vietnam has heightened medical precautions, rejecting entry to individuals from certain regions in Russia. “In the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, there are numerous Russians, and you can tell from the customs check at the entry point,” he said.
Mr. Ruan mentioned that the Irkutsk region in Russia has already begun temperature screenings, the epicenter of the “unknown pneumonia” incident.
Contrary to these rumors, Chinese freight drivers crossing the China-Russia border shared a different perspective on the situation at the border ports.
One driver, Mr. Xue, who returned to China from the Manzhouli port on October 12, stated that the border crossing between China and Russia proceeded as normal with moderate checks. He noted, “Drivers have to wear masks and take personal protective measures.”
Another freight driver, Mr. Wei, working in Moscow from Yongzhou, Hunan, expressed having worked in Russia for two months. He believed that if the local epidemic had become severe, Chinese authorities would have taken corresponding measures.
Mr. Wei stated, “If there were real problems, China’s Foreign Ministry and border checkpoints would have stopped Chinese from entering or leaving. We are working here on the job, even if we are quarantined, we still get paid.”
It is noteworthy that despite the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war and subsequent international sanctions, economic and trade exchanges between China and Russia continue to progress, with the Chinese authorities emphasizing unlimited support for Russia.
While Chinese ports remain unaffected, other nations have adopted varying approaches.
The U.S. Embassy in Russia previously cautioned Americans about the plague threat and urged them to leave Russian territory immediately.
Furthermore, Mongolia’s Ministry of Health reported an outbreak of pneumonic plague in the Irkutsk region of Russia. Pneumonic plague has an extremely high fatality rate and can spread through droplets, making it highly prone to causing a pandemic. Mongolia has activated an emergency plan and bolstered border quarantine measures to prevent the entry of the disease.
Amidst the diverse claims, how do scholars analyze the panic triggered by these rumors?
Beijing scholar Yang Ming previously told Epoch Times that both China and Russia face challenges in controlling information during emergencies, prioritizing message control to prevent the spread of negative information.
He cited the experiences of the 2003 SARS epidemic and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, asserting that the Chinese public remains vigilant towards sudden public health crises.
Yang Ming suggested that due to the prolonged opaque information environment, Chinese citizens may lack trust in official reports. Consequently, the rapid dissemination of unconfirmed epidemic rumors could easily spark panic.
In summary, the series of events and rumors surrounding the plague outbreak have stirred widespread concerns both domestically and internationally, underscoring the crucial role of transparent information dissemination and timely response in combating public health crises.