WHO Chief says Russia reports no plague cases in Irkutsk after lab worker's death, no high-threat pathogens among contacts

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement on X, said that the UN health agency has been following up on the reported death of the laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute since initial media reports emerged.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday (local time) said that Russian health authorities have reported that no recent cases of plague were registered in Irkutsk oblast following the reported death of a laboratory worker who was hospitalised with severe pneumonia, while no high-threat pathogens were detected among identified contacts. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement on X, said that the UN health agency has been following up on the reported death of the laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute since initial media reports emerged.

The worker died on October 2 after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia. Initial media reports had suggested pneumonic plague following an alleged accidental laboratory exposure. "In response to WHO’s verification request under the International Health Regulations, the Russian health authorities reported that no case of plague had recently been registered in Irkutsk oblast," Tedros said in the statement.

According to WHO, Russian authorities said an epidemiological investigation had been conducted, preventive and control measures implemented, and identified contacts placed under medical observation and tested. They also reported that no high-threat pathogens had been detected among the contacts and that medical observation of all identified contacts had been completed. WHO said it has remained in contact with Russian health authorities and offered technical support while requesting further information to establish the cause of the severe pneumonia and identify the pathogen that prompted the public health measures.

The agency also sought clarification on media reports of a second employee who was said to have pneumonia of undetermined cause. "WHO has remained in contact with the Russian health authorities and has offered technical support. WHO has requested further information to clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia, the pathogen that prompted the public health measures, and media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause," the statement added.

According to Euronews, citing Russia's national health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, tests of biological material from Daria Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory assistant at the Irkutsk anti-plague institute, found no microorganisms associated with her work. The watchdog also said no accidents involving pathogenic microorganisms had been detected at the institute.

Shipilova died on October 2 after developing severe pneumonia. Earlier reports citing unnamed sources close to regional security services had raised concerns that she may have contracted pneumonic plague after a test tube broke in the laboratory, according to Euronews.

WHO said the reported incident underscores the need for timely information sharing to assess any potential public health risks. "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 said.

Plague is a bacterial disease with several forms, with pneumonic plague being the most contagious form, according to WHO. It can spread between people and can be fatal without early antibiotic treatment. Russia has recorded isolated plague cases since 2014, most involving transmission from rodents during skinning, and has contained them successfully. (ANI)