Rospotrebnadzor said Tuesday that contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Irkutsk had no plague, and that tests had not found work-related pathogens in her body. The WHO said Moscow had not formally answered its request for information.
Russia's public-health watchdog said on Tuesday that no plague cases had been found among people who had contact with a laboratory worker who died last week at a plague research institute in Irkutsk.
Rospotrebnadzor said the 28-year-old woman died on Friday of pneumonia whose cause had not been established. It said no infectious disease had been reported among staff at the institute over the past 10 days, and that extensive testing had not found microorganisms in her body linked to her work. Reuters reported that Russian media named her as Darya Shipilova. Officials have not confirmed that name in the statements reviewed.
Local official Elena Sofina said about 60 percent of those placed in quarantine had been released. The Kremlin said the watchdog was handling the case and thanked US President Donald Trump for an offer of help. Trump on Monday called the death a big problem for Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Moscow should share more information.
World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said Russian authorities had not yet officially answered a WHO request for information. He said contacts had reportedly been identified and monitored, and that none had shown symptoms so far. The WHO also said Russia had told it there were no plague cases in the city of Irkutsk. Reuters said it could not establish whether that statement ruled plague out in the worker's own case.
The cause of death remains unconfirmed in the official accounts. Rospotrebnadzor said it would give further information as it became available.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Marco Rubio said it was incumbent on Moscow to share more information.
- Christian Lindmeier said none of the patient's contacts had shown symptoms so far.
- The Kremlin said it appreciated President Trump's offer of help.