Trump To Speak With Putin Over Plague Report As US, UN Urge Russia To Ensure Transparency

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would speak “very soon” with Russian President Vladimir Putin over reports of a laboratory technician’s death in Siberia, as Washington and the World Health Organization (WHO) urged Moscow to provide greater transparency.

Russian authorities have denied reports that anti-plague measures were imposed following the incident at a plague research institute in the Irkutsk region last week. Officials have also rejected claims circulating online that the death was linked to a confirmed case of plague.

The developments have nevertheless raised concern in Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Russia to share more information about the incident, while the WHO issued a similar appeal.

“We encourage Russia to be transparent and share more information with the world so that all of us could react accordingly and appropriately,” Rubio said during a visit to Iceland.

Trump later confirmed that he had a call scheduled with Putin.

“I have a call scheduled, yes,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked whether he had already spoken with the Russian president about the issue. He said the conversation would take place “very soon.”

Asked what US intelligence agencies had told him about the situation, Trump said Washington was engaged in “very deep discussions” and that more information could be released “probably tomorrow.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, the US State Department also sent Moscow a confidential diplomatic communication, known as a demarche, warning that failing to disclose information about the incident could conflict with Russia’s international health obligations.

Cause Of Death Remains Undetermined

Russian outlet People of Baikal reported Friday that a 28-year-old laboratory technician, identified as Darya Shipilova, may have contracted pneumonic plague after a test tube broke.

Other reports suggested that her death could have been connected to an accident at the research facility.

People of Baikal also reported that as many as 200 people who may have come into contact with the woman were placed under quarantine.

Russian authorities, however, have stressed that the cause of death has not been confirmed as plague.

Russia’s health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, rejected claims contained in a document circulating online that special anti-plague measures had been introduced.

“We wish to clarify that the document and information in question do not originate from official sources and are untrue,” the agency said on Telegram.

Officials also said postmortem testing had not detected plague.

Irkutsk Regional Governor Igor Kobzev said Monday that a Rospotrebnadzor inspection concluded that the woman had died of pneumonia, although the precise cause remained “undetermined.”

“No microorganisms linked to the young woman’s professional work were found in her biological samples,” Kobzev said. He added that no other employees at the institute had sought medical treatment since her death.

WHO Seeks More Information From Russia

The WHO said Tuesday that information provided by Russia indicated that “no case of this dangerous disease has been recorded in the city of Irkutsk.”

However, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus later said the organisation had requested additional information from Moscow concerning the pneumonia case and other details surrounding the incident.

“Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks,” Tedros wrote on X.

What Is The Risk Of Pneumonic Plague?

Plague is a bacterial disease that can occur in several forms. Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and is the most contagious form because it can spread through respiratory droplets. Bubonic plague, the more commonly recognised form, is generally transmitted through infected fleas.

According to the WHO, pneumonic plague can cause severe respiratory illness and become fatal if treatment is not started early.

Trump said Monday that the United States was prepared to help Russia if assistance was needed.

Russia’s health watchdog appeared to respond to the offer on Tuesday by saying Moscow was also ready to help the United States address outbreaks of infectious diseases.

Rospotrebnadzor pointed to a worsening measles situation in three US states and referred to a fatal plague case recorded in New Mexico in June, among other infectious-disease concerns.

Plague Conference Planned In Irkutsk

An international conference focusing on plague and other infectious diseases is scheduled to take place in Irkutsk on October 21 and 22.

Organisers have said the conference is unrelated to the recent death of an employee at the anti-plague institute.

The conflicting accounts surrounding the laboratory worker’s death have prompted calls from Washington and the WHO for Russia to provide further information so that the potential public health risk can be independently assessed.