U.S. monitors suspected plague case after Russian laboratory worker dies

A worker at an anti-plague research institute in Russia’s Irkutsk region died after developing severe pneumonia, prompting authorities to place nearly 200 contacts under medical observation and quarantine several medical facilities, according to media reports.

Russian accounts of the death have differed. Alexei Tsydenov, head of the neighboring Republic of Buryatia, said the woman died from an unspecified form of plague. Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said she had “pneumonia of unknown etiology” and that expanded testing found no microorganisms connected to her work. The agency said the regional sanitary and epidemiological situation remained stable, and no further infections had been reported.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that the case posed a “very low” risk outside Russia and that it was in contact with Russian authorities.

President Donald Trump said he planned to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon” about the case and expected the United States to provide more information afterward. Trump had previously said Washington was willing to help Russia. The State Department said the U.S. Embassy was monitoring press reports and renewed its warning that Americans should not travel to Russia.

Pneumonic plague is a lung infection caused by the bacterium *Yersinia pestis*. Unlike the more common bubonic form, it can spread between people through respiratory particles and can be fatal without prompt antibiotic treatment.