US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has scheduled a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the death of a lab employee at a plague research center in Siberia. The incident has triggered international scrutiny, with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States urging Moscow for greater transparency.
Trump stated that he does not believe the death was caused by a bioweapon. “We’re going to find out soon enough, but we don’t think so,” he told reporters, adding that he trusts the Russian authorities’ claims that the situation is under control. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later clarified that no phone call between the two leaders had been formally scheduled.
The deceased worker, identified in Russian media as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, was employed at the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East in Irkutsk. Reports indicate she fell ill a few days prior to her death. Unconfirmed accounts suggest she may have contracted the infection after breaking a test tube containing the pathogen or during a field trip to an area where plague circulates naturally among wild rodents.
Russian health officials have not confirmed that the suspected disease is pneumonic plague. An initial statement from Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s health watchdog, described the cause of death as “pneumonia of an undetermined etiology” and claimed testing found no microorganisms related to her professional work. Despite this, subsequent reports emerged of nearly 200 individuals being placed under medical observation.
The WHO has called for more comprehensive information. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that the full picture of the event is still unclear and requested verification of media reports concerning a second employee suffering from pneumonia of unknown origin. He emphasized the need for “timely, complete and transparent information” to assess potential public health risks.
In response to the unfolding situation, the United States has issued a formal diplomatic message to Russia requesting additional details. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that Washington has measures in place to assist Russia if the situation proves more serious than initially claimed. Peskov dismissed accusations regarding the nature of Russia’s reporting, stating it aligned with standard practice and accusing the media of spreading false information.
Neighboring countries have also taken precautionary steps. Mongolia has ordered health surveillance measures along its border with Russia, describing the current risk level as low. Meanwhile, Lithuania’s health ministry confirmed it has prepared for potential cases, including laboratory testing capabilities, isolation protocols, and medicine stocks, though it stated there is no evidence of an increased plague risk at present.
Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection and is considered the most virulent form of the disease. It can be transmitted through infected flea bites, contact with bodily fluids, or inhalation of respiratory particles. The incubation period can be as short as 24 hours, and symptoms often include shortness of breath and coughing up blood-tainted phlegm. If left untreated, the condition can be fatal.
Twenty hundred people under observation for undetermined pneumonia seems like a lot. Trust but verify, indeed.
Why is the Kremlin claiming no call exists if Trump already announced it? This transparency gap is worrying.