Rubio on possible plague outbreak in Russia: We urge Russia to disclose more information
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes Russia should provide more information about the death last week of an employee at a plague research laboratory.
He said this while speaking to the media, Censor.NET reports.
Details
According to Rubio, the United States has already taken steps to ensure it can respond if this turns out to be something more serious than has been acknowledged so far.
"Several agencies, not only in the United States but also internationally, are monitoring this. We urge Russia to be transparent and share more information with the world so that we can all respond appropriately and properly," the US secretary of state added.
What is known about the situation in Russia
- In Russia's Irkutsk region, a quarantine was imposed at a hospital in the city of Shelekhov following the death of Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old employee of an anti-plague institute. Around 200 people who may have had contact with her were placed under medical observation.
- According to local media, the woman broke a test tube containing the pathogen that causes pneumonic plague. Russian authorities have not officially confirmed a plague diagnosis, citing "pneumonia of unknown etiology," while repeat tests of contacts have so far not detected the pathogen.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plague is a potentially life-threatening bacterial disease, but it can be cured with timely antibiotic treatment.
The White House previously said it was monitoring the situation in Russia and assessing possible response options.
