{
  "id": 12378446,
  "title": "Russia tells WHO there are no plague cases in Siberian city",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/russia-tells-who-there-are-no-plague-cases-in-siberian-city",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-06T12:57:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20261006/russia-tells-who-there-are-no-plague-cases-in-siberian-city"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Russian authorities have informed the World Health Organization (WHO) that there are no cases of plague in the Siberian city of Irkutsk, according to a spokesperson for the UN health agency. The announcement comes after a laboratory worker at a plague research institute in the city died last week. Russian authorities were initially investigating whether the worker's death was caused by pneumonic plague. However, they have now stated that no cases of the dangerous disease have been recorded in Irkutsk. Russian officials informed WHO that they have identified the individuals in contact with the deceased and that test results for other infectious pathogens were negative. It remains unclear if this includes testing the laboratory worker or if they can rule out the possibility of her having contracted the plague.",
  "summary": "GENEVA — Russian authorities told the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday that it has no cases of plague in the city of Irkutsk in Siberia, where a laboratory worker at a plague research institute died last week, according to a spokesperson for the UN health agency. Moscow, which is required under global health rules to respond to WHO requests within 24 hours, previously told the WHO…",
  "key_points": [
    "Russian authorities informed WHO of no plague cases in Irkutsk.",
    "Laboratory worker's death initially suspected as pneumonic plague.",
    "No other infectious pathogens found in contact individuals."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "How Russia and the world are responding to a possible case of pneumonic plague after lab worker dies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/how-russia-and-the-world-are-responding-to-a-possible-case-of",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:16:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Russia tells WHO there are no plague cases in Siberian city",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/russia-tells-who-there-are-no-plague-cases-in-siberian-city-12389672",
        "published": "2026-10-06T13:57:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}