The World Health Organization has requested additional information from the Russian authorities regarding a second laboratory employee in Irkutsk who was hospitalised with pneumonia of unknown cause.
This was reported by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
According to him, the WHO has been monitoring reports from the outset about the death of an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute. The 28-year-old woman died on 2 October after being admitted to hospital with severe pneumonia.
Earlier, media reports said she may have contracted pneumonic plague after possible contact with the pathogen in the laboratory.
Russian health authorities told the WHO that no cases of plague have been recorded recently in the Irkutsk region. According to them, an epidemiological investigation was carried out and preventive and anti-epidemic measures were taken.
People who had been in contact with the deceased were placed under medical observation and examined. The Russian side claims that no high-threat pathogens were detected among them, and that medical monitoring has already been completed.
"The WHO remains in contact with the Russian health authorities and is offering technical support. The WHO has requested additional information to establish the cause of the severe pneumonia, identify the pathogen that prompted public health measures, and verify media reports about a second employee with pneumonia of unknown cause," Ghebreyesus said.
He stressed that timely, complete and transparent information-sharing in line with the International Health Regulations is necessary to verify conflicting reports and assess potential public health risks.
What We Know
- Reports of a possible case emerged after the death of 28-year-old Daria Shipilova, who worked at the plague research institute in the Irkutsk region. According to Russian media, she may have been infected after a test tube broke, and around 200 people who may have come into contact with her were sent into quarantine.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington is closely monitoring the situation and has the capacity to help Moscow if it proves to be more serious.
- US President Donald Trump also said the day before that the United States is ready to provide assistance, calling the situation "a major problem". WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said Russia has not yet responded to the organisation’s request regarding the circumstances of Shipilova’s death.
- Rospotrebnadzor, meanwhile, denies that the woman died of plague, citing "pneumonia of unknown cause". According to the official version, no microorganisms were detected in her, and there were no incidents during work with pathogens at the institute.