1 Dead in Suspected Russia Plague Case as CDC, US Press Moscow
"CDC is aware of and closely monitoring reports of a suspected case of pneumonic plague in the Irkutsk region of Russia that resulted in a death. We are working across the U.S. government to assess developments as additional information becomes available," the Atlanta-based agency said in a post on the U.S. social media platform X.
The CDC said the circumstances of the reported case remain "unconfirmed."
The agency described plague as a "serious bacterial disease that is treatable with antibiotics," especially when it is recognized and treated early. Pneumonic plague can pass between people through respiratory droplets during close contact, according to the CDC, which said that quickly identifying and treating the infected, and monitoring those who may have been exposed, are key public health measures.
For now, the CDC sees no sign of a wider threat to the United States. It said it and its interagency partners are prepared and will keep watching the situation.
The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported that Washington has formally warned Moscow that withholding details about the death of a worker at a Siberian plague research institute is inconsistent with Russia's international health obligations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Iceland, described the information from Moscow as "still quite limited" and called for greater transparency.
According to the report, Russian authorities have said only that the woman, identified by local media as Daria Shipilova, died of pneumonia.
The World Health Organization (WHO) assessed the risk of spread beyond Russia as "very low."
President Donald Trump said Washington could offer help. Russia's consumer watchdog, for its part, said it would be willing to assist the United States with its measles outbreaks.
The U.S. State Department later posted a travel warning on X, stating that "the U.S. Embassy is aware of press reports from the Irkutsk region of suspected pneumonic plague resulting in the death of an individual and of associated quarantine measures in, and closures of, hospitals in Irkutsk."
Noting that Washington is following developments closely, the advisory reminded Americans that "the U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow."
The advisory urged U.S. citizens in Russia to leave "immediately," while also stating that "U.S. citizens planning travel to Russia are again strongly advised not to travel to Russia due to the risk of wrongful detention and security concerns."
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