Signal Post News
Plague Tracker
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Monitoring plague activity worldwide — including the Siberia/Mongolia region — with verified updates from health authorities. Curated by the Signal Post News newsroom.
Russian health authorities monitor plague foci in Siberia, where the bacterium Yersinia pestis persists in wild rodent populations. No confirmed human outbreak reported as of October 2026, but surveillance is ongoing.
Sources: Rospotrebnadzor, WHO
Mongolia activated border health controls in October 2026 after a plague scare near the Russian frontier. The country has endemic plague in marmot populations; authorities conduct seasonal monitoring.
Sources: Mongolian Ministry of Health, WHO
The DRC reports the highest number of plague cases globally, primarily bubonic plague in Ituri province. Cases are treated with antibiotics when caught early.
Sources: WHO, DRC Ministry of Health
Madagascar experiences seasonal plague outbreaks, typically September–April. Both bubonic and pneumonic forms occur. The 2017 outbreak was the largest in recent history.
Sources: WHO, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar
Plague is endemic in rural rodents in the western U.S. A small number of human cases (typically 1–17 per year) occur, usually from flea bites or contact with infected animals.
Sources: CDC
Plague is a bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis, typically transmitted through flea bites from infected rodents. The three forms are:
Bubonic plague — the most common; causes swollen lymph nodes (buboes). Fatal in 30–60% of untreated cases.
Septicemic plague — when the bacteria multiply in the bloodstream. Can cause tissue blackening.
Pneumonic plague — the most serious; infects the lungs and can spread person-to-person through coughing. Almost always fatal without treatment.
All forms are treatable with common antibiotics if diagnosed early. A vaccine is not widely available for the general public.
Sources: World Health Organization, U.S. CDC