US and WHO Press Russia on Scientist's Suspected Plague Death in Siberia
The United States and the World Health Organization are pressing Russia for information after a young scientist died in Siberia under suspected pneumonic plague, with President Donald Trump announcing plans to call Vladimir Putin about the case. The 28-year-old researcher died Friday in a hospital near Irkutsk, with Russian authorities citing pneumonia of unknown origin and denying plague. The WHO has offered technical support, while the CDC says the reported case is unconfirmed and is monitoring developments. The incident has sparked online speculation about a potential epidemic, fueled by memories of COVID-19's emergence in Wuhan and Russia's history of downplaying disasters. Pneumonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is treatable with antibiotics if caught early.