Trump to speak with Putin over death of plague lab worker in Russia

Trump to speak with Putin about death of plague lab worker in Russia

US President Donald Trump said he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon about the death of a 28-year-old lab worker at a plague research centre in Siberia. Trump added that he would be able to report on his talks with Putin probably on Thursday.

Russian officials are investigating the cause of the death and have not confirmed that the suspected disease is pneumonic plague, a serious lung infection. They say those who came into contact with the victim all tested negative and have not confirmed the suspected disease. The head of the World Health Organization has called for transparency from Russia, stating that timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks.

The WHO notes that pneumonic plague has a very short incubation period and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early. It can be transmitted through infected flea bites, contact with bodily fluids or contaminated materials, or inhalation of respiratory particles. Symptoms include shortness of breath and coughing, often with blood-tainted phlegm.

Reports first emerged on Friday that almost 200 people were placed under observation in Siberia’s Irkutsk region following the death. The lab worker, named in Russian media as Darya Shipilova, had reportedly fallen ill a couple of days earlier. Unconfirmed reports suggested that she had become ill after breaking a test tube containing the pathogen at the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East where she worked, or following a field trip to a region where plague occurs naturally among wild rodents. Russian officials have played down those reports. The country’s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said the woman had died of “pneumonia of an undetermined etiology”.

The incident has sparked a back and forth between Russia and the US, with questions about a possible spread outside of Russia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US had “measures” available to help Russia if the situation turned out to be more serious than claimed.