Russia Denies Second Suspected Plague Case After Siberian Lab Worker's Death

Russia's public health watchdog denied Thursday that a lab worker who died in Siberia had spread infection to another person, rejecting reports of a second suspected pneumonic plague case as fake. The denial comes as global concerns swirl about the situation. The lab worker at a plague research institute in Irkutsk died Oct. 2 of pneumonia of unknown origin, with extensive testing finding no evidence her illness was caused by pathogens she worked with. The World Health Organization said it's seeking more information, as unconfirmed reports blamed pneumonic plague. Russian authorities have kept a tight lid on information, with state media largely avoiding the subject and some outlets withdrawing earlier reports. The institute was founded about a century ago to study plague, which occurs naturally in Siberia's wild animals.