US offers to help Russia over suspected pneumonic plague case in Siberia
In short
President Trump said Monday the United States is willing to help Russia over a suspected case of pneumonic plague in Siberia, adding that he had not spoken to Vladimir Putin about it. The case follows the death of Darya Shipilova, 28, a lab worker at the Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia in Irkutsk, which the Russian consumer welfare service said was from “pneumonia of unknown etiology”. The State Department said it is monitoring the situation and urged Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.
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President Trump said Monday that the United States is willing to help Russia over a suspected case of pneumonic plague in Siberia, telling reporters “we’ll help”. Trump said he had not spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the matter, and described the disease as “a rough disease”, adding that “the microbes and the germs have gotten stronger.” The New York Post said it was unclear what Trump meant by that assessment. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The case follows the death of Darya Shipilova, 28, who worked at the Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia in Irkutsk and was potentially exposed to plague bacteria. The Russian consumer welfare service said Sunday that the 28-year-old died from “pneumonia of unknown etiology”, according to The Hill. NBC News reported that some 200 people were under medical observation in Siberia, The Hill said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Earlier Monday, the State Department said it was monitoring the suspected case. A State Department official said “many details have not been confirmed” and that “we encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly”, adding that plague is a known disease and is treatable with common antibiotics, especially when treatment starts early. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, departing Washington for Europe, said there is “very limited travel between the US and Russia”, adding: “we’re watching and monitoring it closely. I don’t think it’s cause for alarm but it is cause for focus.” [ 1 , 3 ]
Axios reported that the White House is monitoring the outbreak, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the State Department also on alert. Axios said international concern spiked over the weekend over the news of the lab worker’s death, reminding some of how the COVID-19 epidemic began. [ 2 ]
The documents give differing levels of background on the disease. The New York Post said pneumonic plague is almost always fatal if not treated quickly with common antibiotics and, unlike other forms of plague, can spread from human to human by respiration, and that Soviet biological warfare scientists in the 1980s modified Yersinia pestis to make it resistant to antibiotics. The Hill cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describing pneumonic plague as “a rare and often fatal disease that can be transmitted by respiratory droplets from animals or persons infected with Yersinia pestis bacteria”, and noting it is different from pneumonia. [ 1 , 3 ]
Several points remain open in the documents: whether the death was in fact caused by pneumonic plague, whether the Irkutsk facility — described by the New York Post as a Biosafety Level 3 lab — could have contained the pathogen, and what Trump meant by his remarks on pathogens. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Axios said international concern spiked over the weekend that a Russian lab worker had died from a possible case of pneumonic plague, reminding some of how the COVID-19 epidemic began. US officials said there is limited travel between the US and Russia but that the situation is being watched closely, with the State Department and, according to Axios, the Department of Health and Human Services on alert.
Key facts
- Darya Shipilova, 28, a lab technician at the Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia in Irkutsk, died after possible exposure to pneumonic plague bacteria. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Russian consumer welfare service said Sunday that the 28-year-old died from “pneumonia of unknown etiology”, according to The Hill. [ 3 ]
- NBC News reported that some 200 people were under medical observation in Siberia, The Hill said. [ 3 ]
- Trump said the US “will help” Russia and that he had not spoken with Putin about the matter. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The State Department urged Moscow to share accurate information quickly and openly, and a State Department official said many details have not been confirmed. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is watching and monitoring closely, adding “I don’t think it’s cause for alarm but it is cause for focus”. [ 1 ]
- Pneumonic plague is almost always fatal if not treated quickly with common antibiotics and, unlike other forms of plague, can spread from human to human by respiration. [ 1 ]
- The White House is monitoring the outbreak, with HHS and the State Department also on alert, Axios reported. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old worker at a plague research institute in Irkutsk, died after possible exposure to pneumonic plague bacteria. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Trump said the US is willing to help Russia and that he has not spoken with Putin about it. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The State Department is monitoring the suspected case and has called on Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the death was caused by pneumonic plague. The Russian consumer welfare service said the cause was “pneumonia of unknown etiology”, and a State Department official said many details have not been confirmed; the documents describe the plague case as suspected or potential.
- Whether the Irkutsk biodefense lab, described as a Biosafety Level 3 facility, could have contained the pathogen. The New York Post explicitly says it is unclear.
- What Trump meant by saying “the microbes and the germs have gotten stronger”. The New York Post says it was unclear what Trump meant by his assessment.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The New York Post reports Trump calling the suspected outbreak a “big problem for Russia”, saying the US “will help” and that he has not yet spoken with Putin. [ 1 ]
- Axios reports Trump saying the US is willing to help Russia, and that the White House is monitoring the outbreak with HHS and the State Department on alert. [ 2 ]
- The Hill reports Trump saying the US is “looking at it very strongly” and the State Department saying many details have not been confirmed while urging Russia to share accurate information. [ 3 ]