Trump offered Russia U.S. help after a laboratory worker died in Siberia, as the WHO said the public risk was low.
The episode combines an unexplained death, precautionary quarantines and demands for more information. It remains unclear what caused the pneumonia and whether Moscow has sought or would accept outside assistance.
Trump said he would help Russia and had a call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Darya Shipilova, 28, a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia, died of pneumonia of unknown origin.
We'll help. I have a call scheduled, yes
Approximately 200 people were placed under quarantine as a precaution. Rospotrebnadzor said about 90% of those quarantined had been released and nearly 5,000 laboratory tests had found no dangerous pathogens.
The WHO put the risk at moderate to low in Irkutsk, low across Russia and very low in the WHO European region, and asked Russian authorities for more information about the circumstances of Shipilova's pneumonia.
Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks
Christian Lindmeier, a WHO spokesperson, said all of the patients' contacts had reportedly been identified and were being monitored for illness. None to date had shown symptoms of illness.
Risk assessment and information demands
WHO assessment
Public-health risk
- Moderate to low in Irkutsk
- Low for Russia overall
- Very low for the WHO European region
U.S. position
Information and monitoring
- Russia should share more information
- The situation is being watched closely
- Help has been offered
Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, called for greater transparency from Russia and said officials were watching the situation closely.
I think it’s incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world.. We’re watching it very closely, hour by hour
Russian authorities rejected reports of a second suspected plague case in Siberia and said an investigation found no laboratory accident involving dangerous microorganisms and detected no plague pathogens.
The U.S. State Department said it was monitoring the situation with the CDC and other interagency partners, while the WHO was in contact with Russian authorities and had offered support if needed.
The official cause of Shipilova's death remains pneumonia of unknown origin, and no confirmed connection to plague has been established. Russian media reports said an accident at the facility where dangerous pathogens are kept and studied may have led to her infection, but they did not establish a cause.
Trump's scheduled call with Putin and Russia's response to requests for additional information are the immediate points to watch.
