Thawing Siberian permafrost releases anthrax virus in Russia killing thousands of people and wildlife
Anthrax outbreak in Russia after dormant form of virus released from thawed permafrost At first it seemed like something out of a sci-fi movie but the latest news this week confirm the event is true. It began last week when reports of over 1,000 reindeer dying in the Yamal region, the fifth largest region in Russia (comparable in size to Turkey and larger than Texas). This week, Interfax reported another 1,000+ reindeer had died bringing the total to about 1% of the area’s reindeer population. It was initially believed the reindeer died from the extraordinary heatwave that struck the area in July. However, new biological tests revealed anthrax is responsible for the deaths – and it has spread to humans. Details are still sketchy but reports indicate over