Kremlin urges public to trust Rospotrebnadzor on Irkutsk plague reports

The Kremlin responded to the situation in the Irkutsk region, urging the public to rely on official statements from Rospotrebnadzor rather than rumors. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made this statement on October 5, as reported by TASS. Peskov emphasized that Rospotrebnadzor is the competent authority in this area and that its professionals' assessments should be trusted. Earlier, the agency reported no accidents involving pathogens at the Irkutsk anti-plague institute and found no microorganisms linked to the deceased employee's profession in her tests. The situation began on October 1 when a hospital ward in Shelekhov was closed over suspected dangerous infection. Buryatia's head claimed the woman died of plague, though no outbreaks exist there, while the Irkutsk governor only mentioned suspicions of a dangerous infection.