What did Russia tell the WHO about plague cases in Irkutsk?

Russian authorities said no case of plague had been recorded in Irkutsk, Russian Federation. They also said people who had been in contact with the deceased laboratory worker had been identified and tested for dangerous infectious pathogens.

Why did the WHO ask Russia about plague in Irkutsk?

The WHO sought information after a laboratory worker at a plague research institute in Irkutsk died last week. Russia had previously said authorities were investigating whether pneumonic plague caused her death.

What is the risk of plague spreading among the general population in Irkutsk?

The WHO has previously assessed that the risk of plague to the general population appeared low. Russia said contact tracing had been conducted and tests for dangerous infectious pathogens were negative, although it was unclear whether the deceased worker herself had been tested.

Russia tells WHO there are no plague cases in Siberian city

Listen

Summary

Russian authorities told the World Health Organization in Geneva on Tuesday that no plague cases had been recorded in Irkutsk, Siberia, after a laboratory worker at a plague research institute died last week. They said people who had contact with the deceased had been identified and tests for dangerous infectious pathogens were negative. Russia had earlier investigated whether pneumonic plague caused the death, while WHO said the risk to the general population appeared low.

Key Facts

Russia is required under global health rules to respond to WHO requests within 24 hours.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier read out Russia’s official response at a Geneva press briefing.
Russian authorities did not clarify whether the deceased laboratory worker had been tested or whether plague could be ruled out in her case.
The Russian diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

By Reuters

Published Oct 6, 2026 9:22 pm KST

This undated photo released in 2019 by the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and Far East, shows the institute workers in a lab. AP-Yonhap

GENEVA — Russian authorities told the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday that it has no cases of plague in the city of Irkutsk in Siberia, where a laboratory worker at a plague research institute died last week, according to a spokesperson for the UN health agency.

Moscow, which is required under global health rules to respond to WHO requests within 24 hours, previously told the WHO authorities were investigating whether pneumonic plague caused her death.

"No case of this dangerous disease has been recorded in the city of Irkutsk, Russian Federation," Russian authorities said in an official response to a WHO request, read out by WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier at a Geneva press briefing.

They also told the UN agency they have identified the people in contact with the deceased and that test results for dangerous infectious pathogens were negative.

Reuters could not immediately establish if this meant that they had also tested the laboratory worker and whether they could rule out plague in her case. The Russian diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The WHO has previously said that the risk of plague to the general population appeared to be low.

Explore More