Taiwan vows to track online claims of pneumonic plague spreading from Russia to China
Premier Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan will keep watching internet rumors about a pneumonic plague outbreak that may have moved from Russia into China and will consider tightening quarantine rules.
In a parliamentary meeting, Wang Ting-yu highlighted circulating rumors that pneumonic plague had spread from Russia into multiple provinces of China, prompting questions about Taiwan's defensive actions. Premier Cho Jung-tai replied that the Ministry of Health and Welfare had introduced quarantine protocols following an Executive Yuan briefing two weeks prior and emphasized the government's high level of concern. He said health officials would keep monitoring Chinese online information to spot any concerning developments and decide whether to tighten restrictions.
Mainland Affairs Council minister Chiu Chui-cheng noted China's historical lack of transparency on health incidents and pledged ongoing communication with the health ministry to inform Taiwanese workers in China. Health Minister Shih Chung-liang disclosed that Taiwan has reached out to the World Health Organization to verify whether the death of a 28-year-old lab worker in Irkutsk on Oct. 2 was caused by pneumonic plague, but no conclusive test results have been reported yet.
Why it matters
Taiwan's vigilance could affect cross-strait travel and public-health readiness if the rumor proves true.
How this story developed
- Oct 9 President Lai to highlight growth, security and Taiwan's global role on National Day
- Oct 11 Lai now vows to protect freedom and stresses parity in defence as part of his National Day address.
- Oct 12 China announced sanctions against Paraguay’s communications minister and Belize’s foreign minister because of their countries’ diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
- Oct 13 China announced sanctions on the two ministers.
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