WorldPosted at: Oct 7 2026 8:14PM


CDC monitoring reports of suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia

Washington, Oct 7 (UNI) The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia and says it is prepared to respond to any threat that might emerge.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has a call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the case and would speak with him "very soon".
Asked what US intelligence was reporting, Trump said officials were in "very deep discussions" and that more information could be provided "probably tomorrow".
The case centres on Darya Shipilova, a worker at a Russian anti-plague institute who died after reports that she may have been exposed to plague bacteria while working at the Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia.
Russian authorities have said testing has not linked her death to plague or to pathogens she handled at work. At least five hospitals in the region remain under quarantine, while nearly 200 people who had contact with Shipilova have been placed under medical observation as a precaution.
"We are working across the US government to assess developments as additional information becomes available," the CDC said in a post on X.
"At this time, there is no indication of a broader threat to the United States, but CDC and our interagency partners are prepared and will continue to monitor the situation closely," it said.
The CDC describes plague as a serious bacterial disease that can be treated with antibiotics, particularly when identified early. Pneumonic plague, which affects the lungs, can spread between people through respiratory droplets during close contact and is the most dangerous form of plague if left untreated.
The CDC said rapid identification and treatment of infected people, along with monitoring those who may have been exposed, are important to limiting the risk.
The reports have drawn attention from US officials, the White House and on social media. The State Department has issued a "do not travel" advisory for Russia, while the Department of Health and Human Services and State Department are monitoring the situation.
Trump said on Monday that he was aware of the case but had not yet spoken to Putin.
"We just heard about it," he told reporters. "We'll help them. We'll help them as much as we can."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday called on Russia to provide more information about Shipilova's death.
"I think it's incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world," Rubio told reporters.
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