Trump Plans Putin Call Over Siberia Plague Scare
US President Donald Trump has said he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin over concerns surrounding the death of a laboratory worker at a plague research institute in Siberia, as Washington seeks greater clarity from Moscow about the incident.
Trump Plans Putin Call Over Siberia Health Scare
Trump said the issue was being closely monitored by US intelligence agencies and described the situation as serious enough to warrant direct discussion with Putin.
The United States has already offered assistance to Russia following the death of 28-year-old laboratory worker Darya Shipilova at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute.
US officials have also urged Moscow to provide more information about the circumstances surrounding her death.
Russia Says No Plague Cases Detected
Shipilova died on October 2 after developing pneumonia of unknown origin, triggering concerns that she may have been exposed to plague bacteria through her work.
However, Russian health authorities said there is currently no evidence linking her death to a laboratory accident or plague infection.
Around 200 people who had contact with Shipilova were initially placed under medical observation. Authorities later said no plague cases had been detected among them, and more than half had already been released from quarantine.
WHO Says Public Risk Remains Low
The World Health Organization said Russia had reported no confirmed plague cases in Irkutsk and assessed the risk to the wider public as low.
Tests among monitored contacts detected some cases of COVID-19 and rhinovirus but no dangerous plague-related infection.
The precise cause of Shipilova’s pneumonia remains under investigation, while international attention remains focused on transparency and laboratory safety surrounding the incident.
