Russian lab worker’s cause of death probed amid pneumonic plague fears

An employee of a Siberian anti-plague research institute who died recently appeared to have perished from an unknown form of pneumonia, officials said Monday. Extensive laboratory tests found no pathogens in her body that were connected with her work, according to the governor of the Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev. None of her fellow employees sought medical help over the last few days, and the public health situation in the area was stable, Kobzev said.

His comments came after widespread speculation that the woman died of pneumonic plague. Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection that can spread easily through airborne particles, according to the World Health Organization. Officials quarantined the hospital where she died and were monitoring people who came into contact with her, according to the Associated Press.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the U.S. government was closely monitoring the situation. While it probably wasn’t a cause for alarm, there was concern that an infection could spread, he said.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report on a case of plague in the United States in 2024.