U.S. Monitors Suspected Plague Case in Russia

A 28-year-old woman at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East was hospitalized last Tuesday with severe pneumonia and died two days later in Shelekhov. Rospotrebnadzor diagnosed "pneumonia of unknown etiology" and found "no microorganisms associated with the patient's professional activities," reporting no lab incidents involving pathogens. Nearly 200 contacts are under medical observation; tests found two COVID-19 and two rhinovirus cases, others negative. The Shelekhov hospital stopped admitting and discharging patients. Anna Popova met Gov. Igor Kobzev in Irkutsk on Friday. Kobzev said officials were taking "a full range of anti-epidemic measures" for a suspected "particularly dangerous infection" and that quarantined relatives could leave next week if stable. Plant director Artyom Fominykh ordered masks, saying "Better be safe than sorry." Earlier reports said she broke a test tube with live bacteria; a commission and Rospotrebnadzor found no safety breach. Alexei Tsydenov said it was "maybe" plague. Andriy Aleksandrin called plague "still just a hypothesis" without laboratory confirmation. Dmitry Peskov pointed to Rospotrebnadzor over "rumors or speculation." A Trump administration official told Axios the White House was aware and assessing developments. Authorities say the regional situation remains stable.