--- title: "US President Donald Trump Plans to Speak with Vladimir Putin about Reported Plague Death" url: https://newscentral.site/us-president-donald-trump-plans-to-speak-with-vladimir-putin-about/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-10-06T22:51:48.000Z updated: 2026-10-07T09:41:47.671Z id: b780259e-8a6d-4b89-a4d3-d4bf98b98db4 source: "France 24 English https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261006-trump-says-he-will-speak-to-putin-over-reported-plague-death-in-russia" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/us-president-donald-trump-plans-to-speak-with-vladimir-putin-about/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # US President Donald Trump Plans to Speak with Vladimir Putin about Reported Plague Death US officials are urging Russia to be more open about what happened at the institute where a 28-year-old woman may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube. US President Donald Trump has announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future regarding a reported plague death at an anti-plague institute in Siberia. The incident, which allegedly occurred last week at an institution in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, has sparked concern among international authorities and led to conflicting reports about the situation. Russian authorities have dismissed claims that they are imposing anti-plague measures as a result of the incident, downplaying its severity. However, Washington is pressing Moscow for greater transparency and clarity on the matter. US officials are urging Russia to be more open about what happened at the institute, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for transparency during a recent visit to Iceland. Russian authorities have denied reports of a lab accident at a research facility in Irkutsk, where a 28-year-old woman may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube. According to local media outlet People of Baikal, the dead woman, Darya Shipilova, may have come into contact with up to 200 people who are now under quarantine as a precautionary measure. However, officials claim that postmortem tests have not detected the disease in Shipilova's body and that no other staff members at the institute have sought medical attention since her death. A Rospotrebnadzor inspection reportedly found that Shipilova died of pneumonia, with the cause remaining undetermined. This contradicts reports circulating online about special measures being taken due to a possible lab accident. Russian health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor has issued a statement denying the claims as "untrue and originating from unofficial sources. Reports of a plague outbreak in Russia have sparked international concern, with the World Health Organization (WHO) urging transparency from Moscow to clarify conflicting claims. The WHO has received an update from Russian authorities stating that no cases of the deadly disease have been recorded in Irkutsk, contradicting earlier reports. According to the update, an epidemiological investigation was launched after a staff member at the local institute fell ill with community-acquired pneumonia. Russian health officials identified potential contacts and arranged for medical monitoring and laboratory testing, but test results showed no presence of infectious disease pathogens among them. This information is crucial in assessing the risk of public health risks, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Tedros emphasized the importance of timely, complete, and transparent sharing of data under international health regulations to resolve conflicting reports and ensure an accurate assessment of potential threats. The WHO chief's comments underscored the need for cooperation between nations in responding to global health emergencies. The United Nations agency has assessed the risk level for Irkutsk as moderate to low based on available information, with officials closely monitoring the situation. The pneumonic form of plague is a highly contagious type of bacterial disease that can be spread through respiratory means, causing lung failure and potentially fatal if left untreated. In response to Trump's offer to assist Russia, Moscow has stated its willingness to help the US combat infectious diseases, citing a significantly worsened" measles situation in three US states as well as a fatal case of plague reported in New Mexico in June. This development comes amidst an ongoing measles outbreak under the current administration, which has seen increased cases despite efforts to promote vaccination. The appointment of vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr as health secretary has been criticized for contributing to this trend. The international community is also preparing to address infectious diseases at a conference scheduled to take place in Irkutsk on October 21-22, though organizers insist it remains unrelated to the recent plague-related death in Russia. --- Source: [France 24 English](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261006-trump-says-he-will-speak-to-putin-over-reported-plague-death-in-russia) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/us-president-donald-trump-plans-to-speak-with-vladimir-putin-about/