Plague alert in Russia; Trump: ‘I will speak to Putin shortly’. WHO chief: ‘There may be a second case’

Yesterday, 6 October, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the case poses a ‘very low’ risk outside Russia. The UN health agency reported that it was in contact with the Russian authorities following news of the death, last week, of a woman who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute for Siberia and the Far East.

On Monday, Trump stated that the US is willing to help Russia manage the situation. “It’s a serious disease. You know, it’s a disease that we used to be able to keep under control, but somehow those microbes have become stronger and smarter. They’re like an army,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

In a lengthy statement on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the Organisation had requested further details on the ‘cause of the severe pneumonia’ that affected the researcher who died and on the ‘pathogen that necessitated the public health measures>.

The head of the WHO also reported that the WHO had sought information regarding ‘reports of a second employee suffering from pneumonia of unknown origin’, a likely reference to unconfirmed reports circulated by Russian media outlets concerning a second case.

The head of the WHO goes on to write: ‘From the very first media reports, the WHO has been actively monitoring the case concerning the death of a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute. The individual died on 2 October 2026 after being admitted to hospital with severe pneumonia. Initial media reports suggested a case of pneumonic plague resulting from alleged accidental exposure in the laboratory. In response to the verification request made by the WHO under the International Health Regulations, the Russian health authorities reported that no recent cases of plague had been recorded in the Irkutsk Oblast. They also informed the WHO that an epidemiological investigation had been launched, that prevention and control measures had been implemented, and that the identified contacts had undergone medical observation and diagnostic testing. Finally, they reported that no high-risk pathogens had been detected among the contacts and that the medical observation of all identified individuals had been completed”, he emphasised.

In the last few hours, the Siberian authorities have confirmed that none of the deceased woman’s contacts have tested positive for the plague and that no special health measures have been taken in the region.

In the United States, meanwhile, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have stated on social media that the agency is closely monitoring reports. The agency emphasised that, although the case has not been confirmed, the plague can be treated with antibiotics. It also stated that, at present, there are no signs of a wider threat to the United States.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Russia reiterated that American citizens should not travel to the country and that those currently there should leave immediately. The advisory also noted that US government officials may face travel restrictions due to ‘health and safety concerns’.

China is also taking action. Beijing has issued its first official statements on the suspected case of pneumonic plague in Siberia, stating that it is cooperating with Russia as global health concerns mount. “China and Russia maintain close contact and constant cooperation in the prevention and control of infectious diseases, including the plague,” said Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday, in response to a question about whether Moscow had informed Beijing of the incident. These brief statements come during a week of national holidays in China; the news of the incident has received little coverage in the Chinese state media. Just over a month ago, the Irkutsk institute had concluded a joint exercise with China on managing emergencies linked to outbreaks of infectious diseases. On that occasion, Russian and Chinese participants had discussed methods for monitoring and containing the spread of diseases in their respective border regions.

The EU body has issued a reassuring statement. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) ‘is closely monitoring the situation’ and, at present, ‘based on the limited information currently available, there are no reports of secondary cases and no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission that would cause further spread of the disease’.