Trump to Speak With Putin Over Reported Plague Death in Russia

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will speak very soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the reported death of a laboratory technician from plague. Washington is pressing Moscow to be open about the matter. Trump told reporters at the White House that a call is scheduled.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking during a trip to Iceland, urged Russia to share more information so that countries can respond appropriately. The Wall Street Journal reported that the State Department sent Russia a confidential diplomatic message, known as a demarche, warning that withholding details contradicts its international health obligations.

Claims and denials

The outlet People of Baikal reported on Friday that the deceased woman, named as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube. It also said as many as 200 people who may have been in contact with her were quarantined. Russian authorities disagree. The health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor rejected a document circulating online that described special measures, calling it unofficial and untrue.

Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said on Monday that an inspection found the woman died of pneumonia, with the cause "undetermined". He said no microorganisms linked to her professional work were found in her samples, and that no other institute staff had sought medical help since her death.

WHO assessment

The World Health Organization said an update received from Russia on Tuesday stated that no case of the dangerous disease had been recorded in Irkutsk. According to the update, tests on contacts showed no dangerous pathogens. The WHO assesses the risk for Irkutsk as "moderate to low" and is monitoring the situation closely.

Moscow's response

Trump had said on Monday he was ready to help Russia. In an apparent reply, Rospotrebnadzor said Moscow was prepared to help the United States with its own infectious disease outbreaks, pointing to a worsened measles situation in three states and a fatal plague case in New Mexico in June. An international conference on plague is due to take place in Irkutsk on 21–22 October; organisers say it is unrelated to the employee's death.