Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is closely monitoring reports surrounding the death of a worker at a Russian anti-plague laboratory, warning that an infection could “quickly spread” if it “gets out.” Russian authorities have not confirmed that pneumonic plague caused the woman’s death. The employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East was hospitalized with severe pneumonia symptoms last Tuesday and died Thursday, according to The Moscow Times, which cited Russia’s public health watchdog as saying she had been diagnosed with “pneumonia of unknown etiology.” The case has attracted international attention because the woman worked at a facility that handles dangerous pathogens and because media reports have identified pneumonic plague as the suspected infection. Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can spread between people through respiratory droplets, but Russian authorities have not confirmed that the worker had the disease.
The White House referred Newsweek to the State Department when reached for comment by email Monday. Newsweek reached out to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and medical experts for comment by email Monday. Russian officials have said the regional health situation remains stable and that laboratory testing did not detect microorganisms associated with the employee’s work, The Moscow Times reported.
Rubio said that, based on the information released by Russia, it appeared that a laboratory worker had been infected and that authorities were concerned the illness might have spread internally. I don't think it's cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it, and we're doing that,” he continued. The female employee worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East.
She was hospitalized with symptoms of severe pneumonia before dying two days later, according to The Moscow Times. Alexei Tsydenov, the head of the neighboring republic of Buryatia, initially said the employee had died of plague before modifying his statement to say she had “maybe” died of the disease, The Moscow Times reported. Rospotrebnadzor, the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare in Russia, said laboratory analysis of material taken from the patient did not detect microorganisms associated with her work handling dangerous pathogens.
A special commission established by the institute and the health watchdog also concluded that no emergency or security breach had occurred, according to The Moscow Times, citing Interfax. Earlier reports said the employee may have broken a test tube containing live bacteria. Russian authorities have not substantiated that account, and the commission examining the incident reported finding no laboratory emergency or security breach.
Rospotrebnadzor said the woman’s close contacts were placed under medical observation and underwent daily laboratory testing. The testing detected two COVID-19 cases and two rhinovirus cases but no other infections, according to The Moscow Times. The watchdog also said no other infectious-disease complaints had been recorded among institute employees during the preceding 10 days.
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