US issues health alert over suspected plague case in Russia as WHO says outbreak risk is low

The U.S. Embassy said it was aware of reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case that resulted in a death in Russia’s Irkutsk region, as well as quarantine measures and hospital closures in the area.

The embassy said it was monitoring the situation closely and advised Americans in the area to follow local health guidance, avoid affected facilities and seek medical care if they develop fever or respiratory symptoms.

It also reiterated the State Department’s existing Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Russia, under which U.S. citizens already in the country are advised to leave immediately. The advisory predates the suspected plague case and also cites the risk of wrongful detention and broader security concerns.

Trump told reporters on Oct. 6 that he had a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled “very soon” when asked whether he had discussed the suspected case with him.

“So far, we’re in very deep discussions. We’ll be able to report about it probably tomorrow,” Trump said. He had earlier said the United States was prepared to offer Russia assistance.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also urged Moscow to provide more information, while cautioning against speculation given the limited information available.

The concerns follow the death of Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory worker at an anti-plague research institute in Irkutsk. Russian media reported that she may have been exposed to the bacterium that causes plague after breaking a test tube at work.

Shipilova later developed severe pneumonia and died last week. Nearly 200 people who had contact with her have reportedly been placed under medical observation, while quarantine measures have been introduced at the institute and several hospitals.

Russian authorities have not confirmed that Shipilova had plague, saying she died of “pneumonia of unknown etiology.”

The World Health Organization said there was no indication of a wider outbreak. According to WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier, all of Shipilova’s identified contacts were being monitored and none had developed symptoms as of Oct. 6.

WHO assessed the public health risk as “moderate to low” in the Irkutsk region, “low” for the rest of Russia and “very low” for Europe.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus nevertheless urged Russia to provide timely and transparent information to clarify conflicting reports and allow health authorities to accurately assess the risks.

Plague is a bacterial disease that can be life-threatening, but modern antibiotics are effective when treatment begins promptly.