Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Since the first media reports, @WHO has been actively following up on the reported death of a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute in Irkutsk oblast, Russian Federation. The individual died on 2 October 2026 after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia. Initial media reports suggested pneumonic plague following an alleged accidental laboratory exposure.
In response to WHO’s verification request under the International Health Regulations, the Russian health authorities reported that no case of plague had recently been registered in Irkutsk oblast. They informed WHO that an epidemiological investigation had been conducted, preventive and control measures implemented, and identified contacts placed under medical observation and tested. They reported that no high-threat pathogens had been detected among the contacts and that medical observation of all identified contacts had been completed.
WHO has remained in contact with the Russian health authorities and has offered technical support. WHO has requested further information to clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia, the pathogen that prompted the public health measures, and media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause.
Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks.
Last edited5:00 PM · Oct 6, 2026
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WHO presses Russia for details on plague institute worker's death, Kremlin turns on media
By Jennifer Rigby and Andrew Osborn
October 7, 20264:06 AM CDT
Updated 21 mins ago
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Some Western media outlets have reported - citing unnamed "Russian media" - that a second person in Siberia had died, saying they had died of plague.
Reuters was unable to find any such stories in Russian media or any evidence that a second person in Siberia had died although some bloggers on social media were making - without evidence - such assertions.
Contacted by Reuters, the WHO said it had nothing further to add on the matter beyond what Tedros - who was due to give a press conference later on Wednesday - had already posted on X.
Tedros' call for more information echoed that of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who has said Moscow needs to share more information about the incident.
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Translation Google
In Russia 1:21 PM, October 7, 2026
Peskov has no information about the US appeal regarding the Irkutsk infection
Moscow. October 7. INTERFAX.RU - The Kremlin has no information about the US Embassy's diplomatic appeal to Russian authorities regarding the epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian president.
The question of whether such an appeal actually took place was asked to Peskov during a conversation with journalists on Wednesday.
"I don't have that information. And here, of course, we need to rely, I repeat, on the statements and information from our agency, the head agency, Anna Popova (Rospotrebnadzor – IF), who, incidentally, posted additional, detailed information on her website yesterday. Furthermore, the World Health Organization has been informed accordingly, in accordance with existing practice," Peskov said.
When asked to comment on media reports cited in the WHO statement about a possible second institute employee who was also diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology, Peskov noted that "the media is currently reporting a lot, and the overwhelming majority of what the media is reporting about this situation is false information."
He again called for people to rely on information from Rospotrebnadzor and statements from the agency’s leadership.
On October 4, Rospotrebnadzor reported that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region and the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov was stable. "A special set of measures has been organized and implemented in connection with the case of an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East who was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology," the Rospotrebnadzor press service stated.
The Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East's biosafety compliance monitoring committee found no emergencies involving pathogenic microorganisms. The committee's findings were confirmed by an expert commission sent to the institute at the request of the head of Rospotrebnadzor.
"Due to the patient's professional activities, upon receiving information, a comprehensive set of anti-epidemic measures was immediately and fully implemented in accordance with sanitary legislation. This included identifying the widest possible circle of people who had been in contact with the patient, inpatient medical observation, and daily laboratory testing. The results revealed two cases of Covid-19 and two cases of rhinovirus infection, while pathogens for other infectious diseases were not detected," Rospotrebnadzor stated. "None of the contacts showed any changes in health related to infectious pathology," the press service added.
On October 6, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Russia to provide countries with more information about the infection detected in the Irkutsk region. "We call on Russia to be transparent and provide the world with more information so that everyone can respond appropriately," Rubio told reporters.
An unnamed State Department official told CNN that US authorities had been in contact with the Russian government since last Friday, including State Department health experts who spoke with the Russian Foreign Ministry. The administration official said this work is ongoing.
On October 7, The Washington Post, citing informed sources, reported that the United States plans to send Russia an official diplomatic request for additional information about the infection detected in the Irkutsk region. "The official U.S. request, known in diplomatic parlance as a demarche, is intended to remind Russia that, in accordance with international law, it is obligated to promptly share information about disease outbreaks with other states," the publication's sources stated.
Песков не располагает информацией об обращении США по поводу иркутской инфекции
В Кремле не располагают информацией о дипломатическом обращении посольства США в РФ к российским властям по поводу эпидемиологической обстановки в Иркутской
www.interfax.ru
