A day after Yamal, Siberia Governor Dmitry Kobylkin, declared a state of emergency because of an anthrax outbreak, the first in the region in 75 years, specialists from the Russian Chemical, Radioactive and Biological Protection Corps have been called in to get the bacterial outbreak under control and to dispose of the dead animals in a safe manner.

Anthrax/CDC
Anthrax/CDC

The number of suspect anthrax cases among nomadic peoples has risen from 13 to 40, with the bulk of them being children.

A major anthrax vaccination program is underway for animals in the northern Russia region.  Estimates on the number of reindeer affected by anthrax and the heatwave ranges from 1,200 to 1,500 cases.

Officials from Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, deny  a risk of a spread to other regions of Russian.

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