The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is "aware of and closely monitoring" a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia after the unexplained death of Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old woman who worked at an anti-plague laboratory in Siberia.
In a statement on social media Tuesday, the top US public health agency attempted to ease global concerns, noting that "plague is a serious bacterial disease that is treatable with antibiotics, particularly when recognized and treated early."
Russian authorities have quarantined a hospital in the Irkutsk region and are tracing Shipilova's contacts. Russian media reports indicate nearly 200 people have been placed under medical observation. Moscow has said the situation is under control but has released few details.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday pushed for more transparency, telling reporters in Iceland: "I think it's incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world." He added that the US has "measures" available to help if the situation worsens but needs more information first.
President Donald Trump said he had a call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the reported outbreak "very soon," noting that US intelligence agencies were "closely monitoring" the issue.
Dr. Ashish Jha, who coordinated the US COVID-19 response under former President Joe Biden, warned it was unlikely Shipilova was the only person infected. "We need to understand exactly what has happened," he wrote on X. "And we have to assume we may not know the full truth."
Pneumonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is highly infectious and can be transmitted through respiratory particles. The World Health Organization says it can be fatal if not treated early.