WHO asks Russia for more details on researcher's plague-linked death

The World Health Organization has requested additional information from Russia regarding the death of a female employee at a research center, who may have died from plague. The WHO stated it lacks sufficient data to assess the death from pneumonia, which some reports linked to a possible pathogen leak at the Russian institute. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency asked for details on laboratory tests, public health measures, and the condition of contacts, noting it cannot yet conduct a full risk assessment. Russian health authorities have previously dismissed any risk of a plague epidemic in Siberia following the incident.