US President Donald Trump says he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia, as international concern grows over reports of a possible pneumonic plague infection.
Trump said the US was engaged in “very deep discussions” about the case and indicated that he expected to provide an update after speaking with Putin. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no phone call had been formally scheduled.
The case involves 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute. She died on October 2 after developing severe pneumonia.
Russian authorities have not confirmed that she had plague, saying instead that she died from pneumonia of undetermined origin. The country's health watchdog has also said there is no risk of an epidemic in the region. About 200 people were initially placed under medical observation, with around 90% later released after tests found no dangerous pathogens among contacts.
The World Health Organization has requested additional information from Moscow, saying transparent information sharing is necessary to determine the potential public health risk.
Neighbouring countries, including Mongolia, have introduced precautionary monitoring measures, while Lithuania says it has prepared to handle any potential case.
The US has also formally requested more information from Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was still uncertain about the situation and warned against speculation while information remained limited.
There have been unverified reports that Shipilova may have been exposed to plague bacteria at work, but Russian authorities have rejected claims of a laboratory accident.
