A woman employed at a plague research institute in Russia's Irkutsk region of southeastern Siberia died last week. While some reports indicate she died from the disease, Russian authorities have not confirmed a plague diagnosis.
Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's health regulator, stated that the worker died of pneumonia of unknown origin, specifically referring to it as community-acquired pneumonia. On Thursday, the watchdog also denied reports that a second person had fallen ill after coming into contact with the deceased employee, labeling those claims as fake.
The World Health Organization is currently seeking more information regarding the lab worker's death and the possible second case. A senior WHO official has urged Russia to provide more details as global concerns swirl regarding suspected cases of pneumonic plague.