A heatwave in Siberia has given rise to an outbreak of anthrax, marking the First incidence of the disease in Siberia since 1941, claiming 1,500 reindeer and causing 13 people to be hospitalised. The outbreak has been pinpointed to a reindeer carcass that died 75 years ago in the plague. As the flesh thawed the bacteria became active again, infecting local reindeer herds. A quarantine may affect herders until September. The outbreak will lend weight to scientists' evidence from 2007 indicating that anthrax spores could remain viable in permafrost for 105 years; even longer if buried deeper.
A heatwave in Siberia has given rise to an outbreak of anthrax, marking the first incidence of the disease in Siberia since 1941, claiming 1,500 reindeer and causing 13 people to be hospitalised. The outbreak has been pinpointed to a reindeer carcass that died 75 years ago in the plague. As the flesh thawed the bacteria became active again, infecting local reindeer herds. A quarantine may affect herders until September. The outbreak will lend weight to scientists' evidence from 2007 indicating that anthrax spores could remain viable in permafrost for 105 years; even longer if buried deeper.