Health agencies monitor suspected plague case after Russian lab worker dies

Health agencies are monitoring reports that a 28-year-old woman who worked at a plague research institute in Irkutsk, Russia, died after developing severe pneumonia. The State Department said it was monitoring a suspected case of pneumonic plague, but said many details had not been confirmed. WHO told Healio that no cause of death had been officially confirmed and laboratory testing was reportedly underway.

WHO said the worker’s contacts had been identified and were being monitored, and none had shown symptoms at the time of its statement. The agency said it was in contact with Russian health authorities to verify the circumstances, test results and health status of contacts. Based on available information, WHO said the risk to the general population appeared low. The Hill, citing NBC News, reported that some 200 people were under medical observation in Siberia. Healio, citing the Associated Press and Russian authorities, reported there was no evidence the worker died from a pathogen kept at her institute.