Trump Says U.S. Does Not Suspect Bioweapon in Lab Death

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States does not currently believe a Russian laboratory worker’s death was caused by a bioweapon, while cautioning that officials are still seeking more information. The cause of the woman’s fatal pneumonia has not been established, and Russia’s information-sharing remains a point of concern for U.S. officials and the World Health Organization. Trump made the remarks at the White House, saying officials would learn more soon. He said Russia had shared some information with the United States, but not as much as Washington expected. He also said a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin was planned to discuss the case. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said no call had been scheduled; the available accounts do not establish that a conversation took place. The worker, identified by Russian media as Darya Shipilova, died of pneumonia on October 2 in the Irkutsk region of Siberia. Russian authorities have not confirmed that she had plague. Regional officials said the cause of her pneumonia remained undetermined and that tests found no microorganisms connected to her professional activities.