Unconfirmed plague fears follow death of Russian research institute worker

Fears of pneumonic plague have emerged in Russia after an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East died following pneumonia of unknown cause.

The woman reportedly died last week in a hospital in Shelekhov, a town outside Irkutsk, according to a state television station in the region. Her identity and the precise date of her death have not been disclosed.

Unconfirmed media reports suggested that pneumonic plague may have caused her illness. That possibility has not been established, and the available information does not independently confirm the reports.

Authorities monitor contacts

Russian authorities quarantined the hospital and monitored people who had contact with the employee. They also said they had found no evidence that her illness was caused by any of the pathogens she worked with at the research institute.

The institute is based in Irkutsk, in southeastern Siberia. The response follows concern over the possibility of an infection linked to an institution that studies plague-related pathogens, although officials have not confirmed such a connection.

Experts describe transmission risk

Pneumonic plague is a less common but severe form of plague that can spread between people. Simon Clarke of the University of Reading said the bacteria would not spread from Russia to the United States because there are “antibiotics to stop it from spreading.”

Dr. Glenn Wortmann said transmission can occur through coughing because the infection affects the lungs. However, he said it generally does not travel very far and usually requires face-to-face contact.

“With pneumonic plague, it can be spread by coughing since the infection is in your lungs. If you cough, you can spread it to another person, but that doesn’t travel very far. And so you really need to be in face-to-face contact with that person to get pneumonic plague,” Wortmann said.

Concern expressed in Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump said in Washington that he was watching the situation with concern and was willing to help. He said he had not spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The reported death remains under investigation, while the cause of the woman’s pneumonia and any possible link to pneumonic plague remain unconfirmed.