Russia and world respond to possible pneumonic plague case after Siberian lab worker dies

The World Health Organization says a possible case of pneumonic plague in Russia poses a "very low" risk outside the country, following the death of a lab worker in Siberia last week. Russian authorities are investigating whether the disease caused her death. Russian health officials reported that preventive measures, including contact tracing and lab tests, found no dangerous pathogens in any contacts, and medical monitoring has concluded. The WHO has mobilized technical experts to Geneva and Copenhagen, assessing the risk as moderate-to-low for Irkutsk, low for Russia, and very low for Europe. U.S. President Donald Trump said he was watching with concern and offered help, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Russia to share more information. Experts note plague is treatable with antibiotics and does not spread easily, unlike COVID-19.