US warns Americans to leave Russia over plague outbreak

The United States embassy in Russia has issued a health alert following reports from the Irkutsk region in Siberia of a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak, after a worker at a plague research institute died. Americans in Russia have been urged to leave the country, while Russian authorities maintain there is no evidence of the disease spreading.

On October 2, a 28-year-old employee at the anti-plague research institute in Irkutsk fell ill and died on October 2 from mysterious pneumonia. The facility specializes in studying plague and tracking dangerous pathogens, and the circumstances quickly raised concerns that this could be pneumonic plague, a rare and severe form of the disease.

The US embassy in Russia warned Americans of the plague threat and called on them to leave Russian territory immediately. Photo: social media (Photo: social media)

Following the case, nearly 200 people who came into contact with the worker were placed in isolation and under close medical monitoring. Restrictions were imposed at some hospitals in the region, and authorities conducted daily checks on those exposed to her. According to Russian authorities, tests found some of those examined had viruses including coronavirus and rhinovirus, but no evidence of plague was detected. Most of those isolated have already been released.

The World Health Organization said the cause of death has not yet been officially confirmed and that it is in contact with Russian authorities to clarify the circumstances of the incident and test results. According to its preliminary assessment, the risk in the Irkutsk region ranges from medium to low. The risk across Russia is low, and in Europe very low.

But the United States is not satisfied with reassurances. The US embassy in Moscow announced it is closely monitoring reports of suspected pneumonic plague and the isolation measures taken in the region.

The embassy emphasized that its ability to assist American citizens in Russia is limited, especially outside Moscow, and repeated the existing guidance that American citizens in Russia should leave the country.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also demanded Russia provide additional information about the case, saying Moscow must share details with the world. President Donald Trump said he expects to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the matter and expressed willingness to help if needed.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin and Russian authorities are trying to calm the public. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said authorities are providing the necessary information, and Russia's consumer protection agency announced that so far no plague cases have been found among people who were in contact with the worker who died.