The State Department and CDC are closely monitoring reports of a suspected pneumonic plague in Russia that may have killed a laboratory researcher and exposed nearly 200 people, News Nation Now reported Oct. 5.
“We are aware of reports of a fatal case of suspected pneumonic plague in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. We are monitoring the situation closely with the CDC and our other interagency partners,” a state department official told News Nation. “Many details have not been confirmed. We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.”
Here is what to know.
1. The incident occurred at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia. A 28-year-old female lab technician was diagnosed with pneumonia of “unknown” origin, according to Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s infectious disease agency. Some Russian media reports said the woman may have come into contact with a broken test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen, Yersinia pestis, Scripps News reported. Russian authorities have not officially confirmed this as the cause of death.
2. Yersinia pestis, also called pneumonic plague, is a bacterium found in small mammals and their fleas. Humans can become infected through unprotected contact with infectious bodily fluids, contaminated materials or inhaling respiratory droplets from an infected person. Historically, pneumonic plague has been responsible for several high-fatality pandemics, the World Health Organization said. However, it is treatable with common antibiotics if started early.
3. As a precaution, Russian health authorities have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation.
4. Plague cases are rare in the U.S., but do occur. The most recently reported was an Arizona man who died of the disease in July 2025 after having occupational exposure through ill cats, the CDC said.
