WHO Cannot Assess Risk of Russian Plague Reports

The World Health Organization says it cannot conduct a full risk assessment of reported pneumonic plague cases in Russia due to a lack of complete information, as international pressure for transparency grows. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated Wednesday that the agency has not received a full picture of the situation. A lab worker at a Siberian plague research institute died last week from pneumonia of unknown origin, prompting quarantine reports from Russian independent media. WHO has requested information from Russia regarding a second lab employee with similar symptoms, though plague has not been confirmed. The UN agency's initial assessment estimates low public risk. The US and EU have also requested more details. On Tuesday evening, US President Donald Trump said he has a phone call scheduled "very soon" with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the matter.