Russia plague scare: Trump says US will help as WHO puts public risk low

Donald Trump said the US was closely watching reports linked to a Russian laboratory worker's death and was ready to help. The WHO says the case is unconfirmed as plague and the wider public health risk appears low.

In Short

• WHO said the worker's death has not been confirmed as plague
• WHO's preliminary assessment rated risk moderate to low for Irkutsk
• Russian officials said no laboratory accident involving pathogens was recorded

US President Donald Trump has said, reports suggest, he is concerned about the possibility of a plague outbreak in Russia and that his administration is prepared to help, as health authorities continue to investigate the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia from severe pneumonia.

Asked by reporters whether he was concerned about a potential plague outbreak in Russia, Trump said, “I am,” and said the US was “looking at it very strongly." He also said the US would help Russia, although he did not specify what assistance Washington could provide. Trump added that he had not spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation.

Trump also made a broader comment about infectious diseases, saying that “the germs have really become relatively stronger than they were” and that treatments that once worked for pneumonia “don’t work as well any more."

His remarks came as US agencies continue to monitor the Russian situation. The US State Department has said it is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies to assess the reported case.

Despite the heightened international attention, there is still no confirmed pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia.

WHO SAYS RISK LOW

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Tuesday that it was following the death of the 28-year-old laboratory worker in Irkutsk Oblast, who died on October 2 after developing severe pneumonia.

WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said the cause of death had not been officially confirmed as plague.

The WHO said it was in contact with Russian authorities to verify the circumstances of the death, laboratory testing and results, as well as the health status of people who had been in contact with the woman.

Its preliminary assessment places the risk at moderate to low for Irkutsk, low for Russia overall and very low for the WHO European region. The assessment could change as more information becomes available.

The WHO has also said that, based on the information available so far, the public health risk to the general population appears low.

RUSSIA REJECTS PLAGUE LINK

Russian health authorities continue to reject reports that the woman died from pneumonic plague or that there was a laboratory accident involving plague bacteria.

Russia's national public-health agency, Rospotrebnadzor, said the researcher worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East in Shelekhov and had been diagnosed with “pneumonia of unknown aetiology”. The agency has said testing of biological material did not detect microorganisms associated with her professional activities and that no accident involving pathogenic microorganisms had been recorded at the institute.

Russian authorities have also reported no new cases among people who came into contact with the woman.

Some contacts reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 or rhinovirus, but no dangerous infectious-disease pathogen was identified among them, according to information provided to the WHO.

At the same time, Russia has taken precautionary measures. More than 60 institute employees have reportedly been isolated, while hospitals in the region have faced quarantine restrictions and contacts have been placed under observation.

Rospotrebnadzor chief Anna Popova was reported to have travelled to Irkutsk for an emergency meeting, while regional authorities have described the epidemiological situation as stable and under control.

Confusion over the case increased after Buryatia Governor Alexei Tsydenov initially said a woman had died “from the plague” before later qualifying the possibility, suggested media reports.

The Kremlin has since urged people to rely on official information rather than rumours or speculation.

US WATCHING CLOSELY

The Trump administration's response has added an international dimension to the investigation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the situation was “not cause for alarm” but warranted attention and monitoring. US officials have been seeking additional information from Russia before assessing the potential threat to the US.

Trump's offer of assistance also came without any confirmed evidence that the plague is spreading in Russia. Pneumonic plague itself remains treatable with appropriate antibiotics when diagnosed and treated promptly, experts maintain.

- Ends