No plague found in contacts of Siberian lab worker who died, Russia says

Russian officials said Tuesday that no plague has been detected among close contacts of a Siberian anti-plague laboratory worker who died last week, with 60% of the identified group tested so far. The announcement follows global public health concerns raised after the worker's death from pneumonia of undetermined origin. Rospotrebnadzor reported that laboratory testing of contacts found two cases of Covid-19 and two cases of rhinovirus, with no other infectious disease pathogens detected. The statement did not mention plague, and Russian authorities have not confirmed plague involvement, though U.S. officials have urged transparency over reports of suspected pneumonic plague in Irkutsk oblast. The World Health Organization said Russian health officials informed it that no plague case has been recorded in Irkutsk, with the woman's illness initially presenting as a typical acute respiratory viral infection. Nearly 200 contacts were placed under precautionary medical observation, while the governor said no microorganisms linked to the worker's professional activities were detected in her body.