US President Donald Trump said on October 5 that Washington is ready to help Russia respond to a suspected outbreak of pneumonic plague in Siberia, after a laboratory worker in the Irkutsk region died with an initial diagnosis of pneumonia of unknown origin.
"We're looking at it very closely. We just heard about it," Trump said, adding that he had not spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the incident but was willing to offer assistance.
"This is a disease that we used to control. Despite tremendous progress, the pathogens have actually become relatively stronger than before, and the methods that once worked for pneumonia no longer work... anyone who has such a problem, we will help," he added.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that based on unofficial information it had received, "the risk to the general public health appears to be low."
Earlier the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also played down the level of danger. "I don't think this is cause for alarm, but it is something to focus on and monitor," Rubio said.
Developments in Irkutsk
According to Russian media reports, authorities in the Irkutsk region have sealed off a hospital and are tracing contacts of an employee at a plague research institute in this remote Siberian area. The person died with a suspected pneumonic plague infection. Local media identified the victim as Darya Shipilova, 28, a laboratory technician.
Official information on the incident remains limited. According to Russian media reports, Irkutsk authorities have placed nearly 200 people under medical monitoring.
On October 4, Russia's official TASS news agency, citing a statement from consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor, said an employee of the Irkutsk Research Institute for Plague Control in Siberia and the Far East had been diagnosed with "pneumonia of unknown etiology." The agency also said it had expanded testing of the patient's samples and found no microorganisms related to her work.
Earlier, on October 3, the governor of the neighboring Buryatia region posted on his personal Telegram channel that a woman in Irkutsk had "died, possibly from plague."
In a statement to Al Jazeera, a US State Department official said: "We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and publicly."
About pneumonic plague
Pneumonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which typically persists in small mammals and their fleas. According to the WHO, plague is highly infectious and can be fatal if not treated early.
The disease has three forms affecting different parts of the body. The pneumonic form is an infection of the lungs, causing patients to cough infectious droplets into the air.
If detected quickly, antibiotics can treat the disease. Without treatment, it can cause death within one to six days.
