Agencies monitor Russian lab worker’s death amid suspected plague reports

Health agencies are monitoring the death of a worker at a plague research institute in Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast amid reports of possible pneumonic plague exposure. WHO told Healio the worker died of severe pneumonia overnight into Oct. 2, but no cause of death has been officially confirmed and laboratory testing is reportedly underway. Reports that the worker was exposed after a test tube broke have not been confirmed.

Russian officials said there was no evidence of an accident at the institute or of a pathogen linked to the worker’s job. Reports differ on how many people are being monitored: NBC News said almost 200 were reportedly under quarantine, while TIME reported dozens quarantined. WHO said the worker’s contacts had been identified and none had shown symptoms to date. WHO said the risk to the general population appears low. The State Department said it is monitoring the situation with the CDC and other partners.