Kremlin Welcomes Trump's Plague Aid Offer as Siberia Case Investigated

The Kremlin welcomed US President Donald Trump's offer of assistance following the suspected plague death of a laboratory worker in Siberia, while reiterating that the epidemiological situation remains stable. Spokesman Dmitri Peskov said Rospotrebnadzor is handling the case and will provide updates as information becomes available. The World Health Organization stated Russian authorities have identified and are monitoring all contacts of the deceased woman, with none showing symptoms so far. Russia is investigating whether the 28-year-old employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute died from pneumonic plague, though authorities have not yet officially responded to WHO inquiries. The death has triggered public health fears on social media, prompting authorities to quarantine dozens of people and dismiss rumors about a possible plague epidemic. Rospotrebnadzor said the institute found no evidence of an incident involving pathogen handling, and officials urged the public to rely only on official statements.