Russia Says No Plague Epidemic Risk After Siberia Lab Worker Death

Russian health authorities said Wednesday there is no risk of a plague epidemic in Siberia after a worker at a plague research institute died, while the World Health Organization (WHO) has asked Moscow for more information about the cause of death, according to Reuters. Russian authorities claim the 28-year-old laboratory employee died Friday from pneumonia of unknown origin. The case has raised international concern, including from U.S. President Donald Trump. Approximately 200 people were initially placed in quarantine. Global health officials and international media have been especially attentive to pneumonia cases of unknown cause since the COVID-19 pandemic began with a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses spreading rapidly in China. The WHO estimates the risk to the general population from the Russian incident is low based on available information. Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer protection and public health authority, announced Wednesday it is gradually lifting precautionary measures after concluding there is no epidemic risk. No plague cases were detected among contacts of the deceased, and about 90% of quarantined people have been released after nearly 5,000 lab tests found no dangerous pathogens.