US asks Russia for details on suspected plague death in Siberia

The United States has formally requested more information from Russia following the death of a researcher from a plague institute in Siberia, amid reports of suspected pneumonic plague. Washington and the World Health Organization are demanding transparency from Moscow. Russian authorities deny imposing sanitary restrictions in the Irkutsk region after the death of 28-year-old Daria Shipilova, reported by Russian media on Friday. The US State Department confirmed its official request, while President Donald Trump said he would speak with Vladimir Putin "very soon." Russian officials claim Shipilova died of pneumonia of "indeterminate" origin, with no plague microorganisms found. The CDC sees no broader threat to the US, and the WHO assesses the risk as low to moderate for Irkutsk and very low for Europe.