Russia is currently in danger of re-releasing the deadly anthrax spores, which got notoriously leaked from a clandestine biological weapons lab around four decades ago, as stated by experts. The case got covered up by the Soviet authorities officially claimed the lives of at least 66 but many people suspect that the actual numbers were in hundreds or even thousands, as per reports.
Contaminated cattle from the germ warfare anthrax outbreak got buried around the city Sverdlovsk, which is now called Yekaterinburg. The planning permission was given in recent times for the residential development of a townhouse village near one of the mass burials that has prompted fears that spores from the bio-weapon anthrax could get re-released.
The decision has caused protests amid fears that the zombie disease, which is currently dormant in the poisoned ground could be dug up and spread again in the air. The event in 1979 was the deadliest outbreaks of inhalation of anthrax in history and the new threat was highlighted by the Mash online media. Veterinary expert Yevgeny Tsyplenkov gave a warning saying, "Anthrax is a very contagious disease....its spores can be active for up to 500 years."
Anthrax Outbreak to Start in Russia?
The colleague of the expert named Mikhail Shelyakov said, "Accidentally disturbing the anthrax cattle burial truly represents a big biological threat... If we disturb these spores, they start growing on anything. If a cattle burial is accidentally disturbed, very thorough biological studies are necessary. And if there is the tiniest indication the spores are active, construction should be halted," as reported by the Daily Star.
Building in the site in Rudny village got blocked in 2010 as a court ruling came that no home should be constructed in less than a kilometer from the mass cattle grave. "Human infection is possible through contact with contaminated soil," the court ruling said.
But the new housing development is pretty much closer and with the rules decreased to permit a building just 100 ft away despite the risk of reawakening the zombie anthrax. The leak of 1979 was blamed by the Soviets on the tainted meat and the USSR even sent researchers to the US with 'proof' for convincing them, as intelligence reports claimed 1,000 or more had died.
A top-secret underground laboratory known only as the Compound 19 got engaged in weaponizing anthrax breaking the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. This was admitted by Russia in 1992 by Boris Yeltsin, who was the boss of the Sverdlovsk party. A technician spilled the anthrax material and in panic turned on the ventilation system that spewed the disease into an airborne cloud close to a ceramics factory which hot the Chkalovsky neighborhoods downing of the leak. Other versions claim that there was an explosion or a faulty air filter, as per reports.
Military-grade anthrax caused high fevers and heavy internal bleeding. The victims died in agony from inhalation, not intestinal, anthrax after breathing the spores. Men were more likely to die with children not among the victims, as per the medics. This led to a theory that the military anthrax is more potent than the natural disease and is made to attack the males. Children born following the outbreak witnessed congenital problems with impaired physical growth.
