CDC 'closely monitoring' Russia plague case after lab death — SkimNews
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- CDC said it's "aware of and closely monitoring" a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia via a Tuesday social media statement, noting the bacterial disease is treatable with antibiotics and poses little risk to the US.
- The case centers on the death of Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old technician at an anti-plague laboratory in Siberia; Russian authorities have quarantined a hospital in the Irkutsk region and are tracing her contacts.
- Russian authorities have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation while releasing few details on the events surrounding Shipilova's death.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters in Iceland, pressed Moscow for transparency, saying "it is incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world."
- Rubio said the US has "measures" available to help Russia if the situation escalates, but needs more information before stepping in.
- Dr. Ashish Jha, who coordinated former President Biden's COVID-19 response, said it's unlikely Shipilova was the only pneumonic plague case and warned against assuming Russia is sharing the full truth.
Why it matters: Russia's tight-lipped handling of Darya Shipilova's death at an anti-plague lab and its quarantine of nearly 200 contacts leaves the CDC and State Department pressing for transparency; Rubio's public demand for more information shows Washington isn't satisfied with Moscow's account before deciding whether to deploy US "measures" to assist.
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