U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he intends to hold a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future to address the death of a laboratory worker from a suspected plague infection in Siberia.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving via Marine One, Trump indicated that the conversation was set for “very soon.” When questioned about assessments from U.S. intelligence agencies, the president stated that officials are engaged in “very deep discussions” and expected to provide updates by the following day.
This diplomatic outreach follows Trump’s offer of American assistance to Russia on Monday concerning the deadly incident. Despite longstanding tensions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine, Trump has previously described Putin as someone with whom he can cooperate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Wednesday that it is closely monitoring reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia’s Irkutsk region. The public health agency noted that the circumstances remain unconfirmed but highlighted that pneumonic plague can transmit between individuals through respiratory droplets during close contact.
While acknowledging the potential for person-to-person spread, the CDC emphasized that there is currently no indication of a broader threat to the United States. The agency added that it and its interagency partners remain prepared and are maintaining strict vigilance over the developing situation.
Separately, the World Health Organization told CNBC that, based on current information, the risk to the general public is assessed as low.
Pneumonic plague is serious but treatable if caught early. Let’s not panic, but please don’t ignore this.
Is a direct line really necessary for a single suspected case? Sounds like more political grandstanding than public health strategy to me.
Plague in a lab? That is deeply alarming. I hope the CDC keeps us better informed than just ‘monitoring’.