White House monitors suspected plague outbreak in Russia's Irkutsk region
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The White House is monitoring reports of a suspected plague case and related quarantine measures in Russia’s Irkutsk region, according to Axios.
“(The Trump administration — ed.) is aware, monitoring the outbreak, and assessing options,” a White House spokesperson told the outlet.
Axios notes that plague is a potentially life-threatening bacterial disease. Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed and treated promptly.
What preceded this
As previously reported, media outlets said that on September 25, 28-year-old Daria Shipilova, who worked at a research institute specializing in plague control in Russia’s Irkutsk region, broke a test tube containing the bacterium that causes pneumonic plague.
She was hospitalized on September 29 with symptoms of severe pneumonia and died during the night of October 1–2.
Following her death, authorities imposed quarantine at several medical facilities in the region and placed about 200 people who had been in contact with Shipilova under medical observation. Irkutsk Region Governor Igor Kobzev said that those under observation showed no signs of illness and that their test results were negative.
Despite media reports that Shipilova was likely infected with plague, health authorities have not yet confirmed the diagnosis. They say the woman had “pneumonia of unknown etiology,” and subsequent tests did not detect any microorganisms.
