White House Monitors Suspected Plague Case in Russia

The White House is monitoring reports of a suspected plague case in Russia’s Siberian region of Irkutsk, after the death of a worker at an anti-plague research institute led to almost 200 contacts reportedly being placed under observation.

The White House is monitoring reports of a suspected plague case in Russia’s Siberian region of Irkutsk, after the death of a worker at an anti-plague research institute led to almost 200 contacts reportedly being placed under observation. 

“I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it — and we’re doing that,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday. Rubio added that the administration is aware of the information provided by the Russian government. 

Axios was first to report the administration was monitoring the case. 

The Trump administration “is aware, monitoring the outbreak, and assessing options,” Axios reported, citing an administration official.

The 28-year-old laboratory worker died last week after developing severe pneumonia. Russian media reported that she may have been exposed to the bacterium that causes pneumonic plague after breaking a test tube at the institute. Russia’s public health agency, Rospotrebnadzor, has disputed that account.

The woman was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown cause, and extensive testing found no microorganisms associated with her work, Interfax cited the agency as saying. An expert commission sent to the institute found no accidents involving pathogenic microorganisms, confirming the findings of safety monitors, it said.

Almost 200 people who may have had contact with the woman were placed under medical observation, the Moscow Times reported. Rospotrebnadzor said contacts were undergoing daily laboratory testing and that two cases of Covid-19 and two rhinovirus infections had been detected, according to Interfax. It said no other infectious diseases had been found and none of the contacts had developed signs of infectious illness.

The epidemiological situation remained stable, Axios reported Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev as saying. Russian authorities haven’t confirmed that the woman had plague.

Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Pneumonic plague can spread between people through respiratory droplets and can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed promptly, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With assistance from Jessica Nix.

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