Key facts
- A 28-year-old laboratory technician at Russia's Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute died.
- Russian authorities deny an epidemic risk and state no plague microorganisms were detected.
- Approximately 200 people who had been in contact with the woman were placed under precautionary medical observation.
- The World Health Organization has requested more information from Russia regarding the death of a plague institute worker and a second employee with pneumonia.
- The Kremlin stated that Moscow has shared all known information and accused the media of spreading lies about the situation.
Russian authorities have denied any epidemic risk following the death of a laboratory technician at an anti-plague institute in Siberia. The 28-year-old worker at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East died last week from what was described as "pneumonia of undetermined origin."
Regulator Rospotrebnadzor stated that preventive and anti-epidemic measures have been organized and that there are no epidemic risks for the population of Irkutsk or the Irkutsk region. The agency also said it had sent information on the situation to the World Health Organization and that medical monitoring of the worker's contacts and laboratory tests had found no signs of infection or dangerous pathogens. According to Rospotrebnadzor, 60% of the identified close contacts have been tested so far, with two cases of Covid-19 and two cases of rhinovirus infection detected, but no other infectious disease pathogens.
Regional and national Russian authorities have not confirmed that plague was involved in her death. However, a State Department spokesperson said there had been "reports of a fatal case of suspected pneumonic plague" in Irkutsk oblast. Separately, a State Department official told NBC News that the U.S. had been in contact with the Russian government as early as Friday, with health experts at the State Department participating in the contact along with the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated it was "working across the U.S. government to assess developments as additional information becomes available."
US President Donald Trump said he had a call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the matter. The WHO said Russian health officials informed it in response to its request that no case of plague has been recorded in Irkutsk, and that the woman's illness initially presented as a typical acute respiratory viral infection. No case of plague or other high-threat pathogen has reportedly been found among the woman’s close contacts, the WHO said, quoting the response from the Russian officials, adding that it is awaiting confirmation from the Russian side about "what pneumonia-causing pathogen had led to the individual’s death."
Governor Igor Kobzev said Monday that no "microorganisms linked to the employee’s professional activities were detected" in her body. The Irkutsk regional branch of Rospotrebnadzor denied reports circulating online that an "enhanced sanitary-epidemiological regime" and strict restrictions have been imposed in the region, stating that no such decisions have been made and the situation remains stable.