What we know
What we know: How Russia and the world are responding to a possible case of pneumonic plague after lab worker dies
Compiled Oct 6
What we know
- WHO says a possible case of pneumonic plague in Russia poses a 'very low' risk outside the country
- A woman who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute died last week, reportedly from pneumonia
- Russian officials traced the woman's contacts and conducted lab tests, finding no dangerous infectious disease pathogens
- Medical monitoring of all contacts has been concluded and the epidemiological situation is described as stable
- The hospital in Shelekhov where the woman died was placed under quarantine
- WHO has brought technical experts, including specialists in high-threat pathogens, to Geneva and Copenhagen
What we don’t know yet
- Russian officials are still investigating whether pneumonic plague caused the woman's death
- Russian officials have not yet asked WHO experts to deploy to Russia
- Kremlin spokesman would not elaborate further on Trump's offer of help, deferring to Rospotrebnadzor
- WHO has not provided a definitive answer on how the COVID-19 pandemic began
Open questions
- What actually caused the lab worker's death?
- Will Russian authorities confirm whether it was pneumonic plague?
- Will Russia share more detailed information with international health bodies?
- Will WHO experts be deployed to Russia to assist with the investigation?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.