US Monitors Suspected Plague Outbreak in Russia's Irkutsk Region
The White House is monitoring a suspected plague case in Russia's Irkutsk region and assessing possible response options, according to Axios. Washington has received information about the illness and quarantine measures implemented in the area. A laboratory worker died at Shelekhov District Hospital after reportedly breaking a test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen on September 25. Around 200 people have been placed under medical observation, and quarantine has been imposed in the region. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that plague is a bacterial infection that can be effectively treated with antibiotics if detected early. Russian sources have begun removing publications about the incident.