Trump Says Russia Faces 'Big Problem' If Plague Reports Are True

President Donald Trump speculated Monday that Russia may face a "big problem" if reports of a pneumonic plague outbreak are true, though Russian officials have not confirmed the cause of a Siberian lab employee's death. Trump, speaking to reporters, confused pneumonic plague with common pneumonia, claiming germs have become "stronger and smarter" and that treatments for pneumonia are less effective. He acknowledged he had not spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation. Local authorities report 200 people are under medical observation after a 28-year-old woman who worked at a disease research center died of "pneumonia of undetermined origin" last week.