U.S. President Donald Trump says he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon” about the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia. Reports initially raised concerns that the worker may have died from pneumonic plague, although Russian authorities have reported no confirmed plague cases.
Trump confirmed the planned call while speaking to reporters at the White House. When asked about information from U.S. intelligence agencies, he said officials were holding “very deep discussions.”
He added that the administration could provide more information soon.
Trump had previously offered U.S. assistance to Russia following the laboratory worker’s death. The Kremlin welcomed the offer, while Russian officials maintained that the situation remained under control.
Trump-Putin Call Comes as U.S. Monitors Siberia Case
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring the situation in Russia’s Irkutsk region. The agency said reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case remain unconfirmed.
The CDC said pneumonic plague can spread between people through respiratory droplets during close contact. However, the agency said there was no indication of a broader threat to the United States.
The World Health Organization has also sought information from Russian authorities. Russia later told the WHO that officials had found no plague cases in Irkutsk. The WHO continues to assess the risk to the general public as low.
Russian health authorities said tests found no plague or other dangerous infectious diseases among people who had contact with the deceased worker. Officials continue to investigate the cause of her death.
Russia Faces Calls for More Information
The case involves a 28-year-old employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia. She died on October 2 after developing pneumonia of unknown origin.
Reports about a possible laboratory accident have circulated in Russian and international media. However, Russian authorities have not confirmed those claims or established that plague caused her death.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Moscow to provide more information about the incident. He said greater transparency would help authorities assess the potential public health risk.
Plague is a bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis. Antibiotics can effectively treat the infection, particularly when doctors diagnose and treat it early.
