Russia Says Dead Siberian Lab Worker Did Not Have Plague; Rubio Urges Transparency

The World Health Organization reported that Russian authorities say a Siberian lab worker who died did not have plague, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Russia to share more information. The 28-year-old researcher's death raised concerns about a potential pneumonic plague outbreak. Russia informed the WHO that the woman's illness initially resembled a typical acute viral respiratory infection, and no dangerous pathogens were detected in her contacts. The WHO has requested clarification on which pneumonia-causing pathogen led to her death, assessing the risk as moderate to low for Irkutsk. The woman, Daria Shipilova, worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, with local reports suggesting possible exposure from a broken test tube or field work. Russian authorities say they found no evidence of a laboratory accident, while Rubio stated Washington is monitoring the situation closely.