Has A Second Case Of The Plague Been Reported In Russia?

• 7.10.2026, 16:14

Another employee at the lab has likely fallen ill.

The WHO wants to determine whether another employee of the anti-plague institute in Irkutsk has indeed fallen ill. This was reported in X by the organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The organization also asked Russia to explain whether caused severe pneumonia in his colleague, who died on October 2, and exactly which pathogen served as the basis for the authorities’ implementation of anti-epidemic measures.

Following initial media reports of a probable case of pneumonic plague, the WHO sent a request to Russia under the International Health Regulations. In response, Russian health authorities stated that no cases of plague had been reported in the Irkutsk region recently.

According to their information, an epidemiological investigation was conducted following the employee’s death, and people who had been in contact with her were placed under observation and examined. No dangerous pathogens were reportedly detected in them, and the observation period has already been completed.

The WHO is maintaining contact with Russian health authorities and offering technical assistance, Tedros noted. “Timely, complete, and transparent information sharing in accordance with the International Health Regulations is crucial for clarifying conflicting reports and accurately assessing potential public health risks,” he emphasized.