As if mystery sinkholes and rubbery ground were not warnings enough, climate change and unusual warming have brought new threats to the north of the planet. Anthrax, also known as the “Siberian plague,” has re-emerged after more than 70 years in an inhabited region above the Arctic circle in Russia. A 12-year-old boy and his grandmother have died, nearly 90 people have been hospitalized for observation, and over 2000 reindeer have been killed by the disease. Temperatures have risen to over 95°, thawing the permafrost where dead animals and people are buried, and “waking” the anthrax spores.
Anthrax outbreak triggered by climate change sickens dozens in Arctic Circle
Climate Change Blamed for the Anthrax Outbreak in Russia
Not with a bang but with a whimper…