Abstract
We used open source data from the Epiwatch observatory to monitor for early disease signals in Russia and surrounding countries following an explosion at a BSL 4 laboratory, Vector, in Siberia in September 2019. Upon news of the explosion at Vector on September 16th 2019, the Epiwatch team added the Russian language and key words Russia, Siberia, Novosibirsk, and Koltsovo to the Standard Operating Procedures, in addition to the usual epidemic-specific keywords used in Epiwatch. We also searched for outbreak reports in countries bordering Siberia, including Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China. Given local spread of an epidemic could manifest in these countries, we included searching in Chinese, Mongolian and Kazakh. We added “Ukraine” as a key word, given current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Data collection began in September 2019, one week after the explosion, with this considered the baseline. We demonstrate a method for rapid epidemic intelligence following an incident of concern, the explosion at Vector. There were some unexplained outbreaks in Russia in the three months following the explosion. No unexplained outbreaks were detected in countries bordering Russia, nor in Ukraine in the three months following the explosion. We detected an accidental release of brucella from a laboratory in China in early December 2019 and two reports of severe pneumonia prior to official reports, which could have been early COVID-19 cases. Best practice in preparedness should include surveillance for disease events in the months following an event of concern at local, national and global levels. In the absence of official surveillance data, open source intelligence may be the only available means of detecting outbreaks and enabling early response and mitigation for the rest of the world. Epiwatch was able to identify reports of Russian outbreaks in the weeks and months following the Vector explosion, which allowed monitoring of outbreaks of concern without a known cause.
Highlights
On September 16 2019, an explosion occurred at the biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology building (Vector) in Koltsovo, in the Novosiberisk region of Siberia, Russia (1)
We demonstrate a method for rapid epidemic intelligence following an incident of concern, the explosion at Vector
Outbreaks including the acute respiratory virus infection (ARVI), pneumonia, “SARS” and influenza were reported in different districts in October and November
Summary
On September 16 2019, an explosion occurred at the biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology building (Vector) in Koltsovo, in the Novosiberisk region of Siberia, Russia (1). The explosion was allegedly caused by a gas cylinder, and was followed by a fire. The fire spread through the ventilation system and affected an area of 30 square meters. The explosion on the fifth floor of the six-storey building shattered all the glass in the building. An official statement by the Russian government indicated that no pathogens or risk was present, yet Vector contains the largest collection of security-sensitive pathogens known. A gas explosion can propagate a shock wave at speeds of
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
