US 'watching closely' after plague researcher dies in Russia, Rubio says
The US is monitoring a suspected plague case in Siberia after a Russian lab technician died at a research facility. While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern about potential spread, Russian officials maintain that no pathogens were found in the deceased's samples.
Why it matters
The incident raises international concerns regarding biological safety protocols and the potential for cross-border health risks in high-security research environments.
Figure caption, Watch: US "monitoring" suspected Siberia plague closely, says Marco Rubio
The US says it is closely monitoring the case of a Russian lab technician who died at a plague research centre in Siberia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was concern the incident could have led to the spread of pneumonic plague, but that there was no cause for alarm.
Announcing the cause of death as "pneumonia of undetermined etiology", Irkutsk's governor said that "no micro-organisms" linked to the woman's work had been found "in her biological samples".
Unconfirmed reports had suggested the woman fell ill either after breaking a test tube containing the pathogen or following a field trip to a region where plague is found naturally among wild rodents.
Also covering this story
7 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Plague outbreak in Russia? Hundreds quarantined after death of lab researcher
Plague in Siberia: Lab worker dies after test-tube accident; 200 contacts monitored
Russian researcher ‘dies of plague released by lab accident’
Woman dies of plague in Siberia: regional official
Mass quarantine issued in Russia after unexplained death of plague researcher
Lab worker ‘possibly’ dies of plague in Siberia, prompting quarantine measures
Russian Researcher Dies Of Plague, Hundreds Quarantined, 5 Hospitals Shut
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