Siberian lab worker's death raises pneumonic plague concerns

A Russian lab worker in Siberia died this month from pneumonia of unknown origin, prompting local media to raise concerns about pneumonic plague, though NPR has not independently confirmed the reports. The 28-year-old woman studied plague at a Siberian lab, and Russia's health watchdog found no pathogens linked to her work, but 200 contacts were quarantined. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that Russian assurances were incomplete and a full risk assessment is not yet possible. Pneumonic plague spreads through airborne droplets, like COVID, and can kill quickly without early antibiotic treatment. A 2017 Madagascar outbreak saw nearly 1,900 cases, with about 25% of confirmed patients dying.