The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated it is "aware of and closely monitoring" a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia. This announcement follows the unexplained death of Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old woman who worked at an anti-plague laboratory in Siberia. The CDC released a statement on social media on Tuesday, addressing rising global concerns regarding the incident. The agency noted, "While the circumstances of this reported case remain unconfirmed, plague is a serious bacterial disease that is treatable with antibiotics, particularly when recognized and treated early."
Russian authorities have quarantined a hospital in the Irkutsk region and are tracing the contacts of Shipilova. Reports indicate that nearly 200 individuals are under medical observation. The CDC emphasized the importance of rapid identification and treatment of infected individuals but stated that the incident poses little risk to the United States.
The Trump administration has also expressed concern, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging Russia to provide more information about Shipilova's death. Rubio stated, "I think it’s incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world." He mentioned that the US has measures available to assist Russia if the situation escalates but requires more information before intervening.
President Trump indicated that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the outbreak soon and noted that US intelligence agencies are monitoring the situation closely. Dr. Ashish Jha, who coordinated the COVID-19 response under former President Biden, expressed skepticism about the assumption that Shipilova was the only person infected. He stated, "We need to understand exactly what has happened. And we have to assume we may not know the full truth."
Pneumonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, typically found in small mammals and their fleas. The World Health Organization classifies the plague as highly infectious, capable of transmission through respiratory particles, and potentially fatal if not treated promptly.