Washington—The United States government is closely monitoring the health situation in Siberia following the death of a worker at a plague research institute, a case that has generated international concern due to the possibility—not yet confirmed—that it was pneumonic plague.
The 28-year-old woman worked at the Irkutsk Plague Research
Institute in Siberia and died after developing pneumonia, the cause of which
has not yet been determined. The possibility that she may have been exposed to
the plague bacteria prompted preventative measures and quarantines in the
region.
Amid the uncertainty, US officials have requested greater
transparency from Moscow. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington
is closely following the case and believes it is necessary for Russia to
provide accurate information about what happened.
The concern has also reached the White House. President
Donald Trump stated that he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir
Putin about the case and indicated that the United States is prepared to
cooperate if necessary.
The Russian health agency, Rospotrebnadzor, reported that
tests conducted on people who had contact with the deceased have not identified
any cases of plague. Nearly 200 people were initially placed under observation
and quarantine, although a significant number have already been released.
At the moment, the main concern of U.S. authorities is
obtaining sufficient information to determine whether it was indeed a case of
pneumonic plague, an isolated infection, or an illness of another nature.
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