Trump Plans Call With Putin Over Siberian Lab Death as U.S., WHO Demand Transparency

• President Trump intends to speak with President Putin regarding the reported plague-related death of a laboratory technician.
• The incident occurred at a research institute in the Irkutsk region of Siberia.

Washington — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will speak “very soon” with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the reported death of a lab technician from possible plague exposure, as both Washington and the United Nations pressed Moscow for greater transparency.

Russian authorities have denied implementing anti-plague measures and downplayed reports of an incident last week at a plague research institute in Siberia’s Irkutsk region. However, concern is mounting in Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Russia to be open about the situation during a trip to Iceland, a request echoed Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We encourage Russia to be transparent and share more information with the world so that all of us could react accordingly and appropriately,” Rubio stated.

Trump confirmed a call with Putin is scheduled. “I have a call scheduled, yes,” he told reporters at the White House, adding it would happen “very soon.” Regarding intelligence assessments, Trump said, “We’re in very deep discussions. We’ll be able to report on it probably tomorrow.”

The Wall Street Journal reported the State Department sent a confidential diplomatic communication, known as a demarche, warning Moscow that withholding details contravenes its international health obligations.

Cause of Death ‘Undetermined’

Russian outlet People of Baikal reported Friday that the deceased, identified as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube. Other media cited a possible lab accident. The outlet also claimed up to 200 potential contacts were under quarantine.

Russian officials dispute this. Health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor denied online claims that special measures were enacted, calling the documents untrue. Governor Igor Kobzev said Monday a Rospotrebnadzor inspection determined the woman died of pneumonia with an “undetermined” cause.

“No microorganisms linked to the young woman’s professional work were found in her biological samples,” Kobzev said, adding no other institute staff had sought medical care.

The WHO said a Tuesday update from Russia stressed that “no case of this dangerous disease has been recorded in the city of Irkutsk.” However, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus subsequently urged transparency, noting the WHO had “requested further information” on the pneumonia case.

“Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks,” Tedros wrote on X.

‘Moderate to Low’ Risk

Plague is a bacterial disease with several forms. Pneumonic plague, the most contagious, spreads via respiratory droplets and can be fatal without early treatment. Bubonic plague transmits via infected fleas.

Trump said Monday he was ready to assist Russia if needed. In an apparent rebuttal, Rospotrebnadzor stated Tuesday that Moscow stood ready to help the U.S. combat its own infectious disease outbreaks, citing a “significantly worsened” measles situation in three states and a fatal plague case in New Mexico in June.

Measles cases have risen under the current administration, in which vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. serves as Health Secretary.

Meanwhile, an international conference on plague and other infectious diseases is scheduled for Irkutsk on October 21-22. Organizers stated the event is “unrelated to the recent death of an employee of the anti-plague institute.”

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