WHO Confirms Russia Reported Lab Worker Death; No Plague Case Officially Registered

The World Health Organization confirmed that Russia has reported the death of a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute. WHO stated that no plague case has been officially registered and that no further infections have been detected among approximately 200 contacts under monitoring. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said the agency has sent follow-up questions to Russian authorities seeking more information about the cause of death and biosafety conditions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Moscow to share more information. The incident has prompted international health security monitoring.