Russia pneumonic plague reports spark surge in demand for respiratory protection
The global supplier of CBRN protective equipment to civilians and professionals, MIRA Safety, has reported a rise in demand for respiratory protection, including gas masks and particle filters, following reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case in Siberia.
The outbreak is believed to have begun when Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory technician at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, accidentally broke a test tube containing pneumonic-plague bacteria on 25 September while working at the institute. According to a report published by Lyudi Baikala, she later became seriously ill and died a couple of days after being admitted to hospital on 29 September.
"The buying behaviour we're seeing right now looks a lot like the first days of COVID," said Roman Zrazhevskiy, founder and CEO of MIRA Safety. "There is still a lot we don't know, especially how easily it could spread. But 'plague' is a word with real psychological weight. People immediately connect it with some of the deadliest outbreaks in human history, and that triggers a strong emotional reaction.
"When 'plague,' 'Russia' and 'lab leak' start showing up in the same headlines, it's understandable that people's imaginations take off," Zrazhevskiy said.
To keep up with demand, MIRA Safety is increasing fulfilment capacity and prioritising restocks of high-demand products, it was announced in a press release.
MIRA Safety has also published a free guide, Pneumonic Plague vs. Bubonic Plague, explaining symptoms, transmission and protection; and is also developing an interactive biological simulator, building on its existing nuclear blast simulator, to help families and organisations understand risks and plan their response before an emergency.
"We hope this proves to be overblown and that the outbreak is contained," Zrazhevskiy said. "Preparedness means being ready before you know how serious a situation will get. MIRA is ready to supply respiratory protection for everyone."
The company highlighted that public health agencies currently consider the risk to the general public low, and that they encourage consumers to follow guidance from the Centres for Disease Control and the World Health Organization as the situation develops.
