Kathrine Frich
Trump appeared to confuse common pneumonia with the highly lethal pneumonic plague.
When a mysterious illness strikes a remote facility, the world pays close attention.
Top officials usually step up to calm a frightened public. But occasionally, a world leader offers a medical theory that leaves scientists deeply confused.
Playing the doctor
President Donald Trump shared his own medical insights on Monday. He decided to address reports of a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia.
The president warned that the situation could become a “big problem” for the country according to Huffpost. He made these bold remarks even though Russian authorities have not confirmed the true cause of the health scare.
During his comments, Trump appeared to confuse common pneumonia with the highly lethal pneumonic plague. He confidently explained how the bacteria operate.
“It’s a rough disease. You know, that’s a disease we used to be able to control, but somehow, those microbes have got stronger and smarter. They’re like an army,” Trump told reporters.
A deadly mistake
Trump continued to outline his theory on the changing nature of the illness.
“The germs have really become relatively stronger than they were, and things that used to work on pneumonia don’t work as well anymore,” he said.
He delivered this diagnosis without having spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the suspected crisis. The situation actually stems from a tragedy at a Siberian disease research center.
A female employee died there last week. Local officials stated the 28-year-old passed away from a “pneumonia of undetermined origin.”
Waiting for answers
However, details from local media paint a darker picture. Reports cited by Axios indicate that the woman accidentally broke a test tube filled with the pneumonic plague pathogen.
She fell deeply ill and died just days after the accident. Now, medical teams are keeping 200 people under strict observation to prevent further spread.
Pneumonic plague is incredibly dangerous. The infection is almost always fatal if patients do not receive antibiotics within the first 24 hours of showing symptoms.
Those symptoms appear quickly and include high fever, weakness, and bloody coughs.
Low risk at home
Despite the terrifying nature of the disease, experts urge calm in the United States. One U.S. health official shared an assessment with The Washington Post.
“It’s in Siberia. Unless someone gets on a plane and gets to the U.S., it is low risk. We should be alert but not panicked,” the official explained.
For now, health authorities are watching closely. The world waits to see if the outbreak is contained.
