Russia: WHO not able to 'fully' assess plague situation

The World Health Organization (WHO) is unable to fully evaluate the circumstances surrounding the suspected plague death of a laboratory worker in Russia, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The organization lacks the complete picture and cannot perform a comprehensive risk assessment. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports as "false information," asserting that only official statements from Russian authorities should be considered.

Peskov also denied any knowledge of a planned conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the situation, despite Trump's claim that such a call was scheduled. The US had formally requested additional information from Russia on the matter, as reported by AFP. This incident follows the death of a 28-year-old female technician at a plague research institute in Siberia's Irkutsk region, who may have contracted the disease from a broken test tube.

WHO officials urge Russia to provide clarification on reports of a second employee experiencing pneumonia of an undetermined cause at the institute. Both the United States, European Union, and WHO have urged Moscow to enhance transparency about the case. Russian authorities maintain that the population in the region remains safe, with no epidemic risks identified by the country's health agency.

The health agency reported that investigations have not revealed any emergencies, and over 90% of contacts have completed medical observation with no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms identified in nearly 5,000 laboratory tests. Mongolia implemented health surveillance and monitoring measures at its border with Russia in response to the reports.