Rospotrebnadzor tightens sanitary supervision measures at Russian border due to several plague cases in China

MOSCOW. Aug 14 (Interfax) - Sanitary control measures at the border have been tightened after three plague cases were identified in northern China, while the risk of importing the infection into Russia is low, consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said.

"Rospotrebnadzor has tightened sanitary and quarantine supervision at checkpoints across the state border, taking into account the data of the Perimeter automated information system as part of the Sanitary Shield federal project. The risk of bringing the infection to Russia is minimal," the watchdog told reporters.

Control has been stepped up on the border with countries where there is a challenging epidemiological situation, Rospotrebnadzor said.

Media reports said three human cases of plague were recorded in northern China's Xilin Gol, the watchdog said. The sick and contact persons are isolated and under medical supervision. "The natural focus has no common border with Russia," the statement said.

Rospotrebnadzor's anti-plague institutions are monitoring the activity of natural plague foci on a systematic basis, vaccinating the local population for epidemiological reasons, and undertaking the necessary anti-epidemic measures, it also said.