WHO Rates Plague Risk Low After Russian Lab Worker’s Death

The World Health Organization says the public-health risk from a possible plague case in Russia is low nationwide and very low across its European region, after Russian authorities reported no plague cases in Irkutsk and negative tests among the dead worker’s contacts. The cause of the 28-year-old laboratory worker’s death from severe pneumonia has not been confirmed. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said Tuesday that the woman died on October 2. Russian authorities told the agency that an epidemiological investigation began after an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute developed community-acquired pneumonia that initially resembled a typical respiratory viral infection. Authorities reported that tests found no dangerous infectious-disease pathogens among her contacts and that medical monitoring of all contacts had concluded. They said the epidemiological situation remained under monitoring. WHO’s initial assessment put the risk at moderate to low in Irkutsk, low across Russia and very low in the WHO European region. The agency said it was in contact with Russian officials and stood ready to support them if asked.