Symbolic imageWHO presses Russia for answers after plague institute death
WHO says it lacks the full picture after a Siberian plague institute employee died. Moscow says her contacts are healthy.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday, 7 October, that Russia had replied to WHO's request under the International Health Regulations by saying no recent plague case was reported in Irkutsk region and about 200 contacts were quarantined. WHO wants details on the lab tests of the 28-year-old woman who died on 2 October and of her contacts, and asked Moscow to verify reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause. Tedros said WHO cannot yet make a full risk assessment. It has offered technical support, though it can send inspectors only if Russia asks, according to El País.
Moscow's all-clear
On Thursday, Irkutsk governor Igor Kobzev said monitoring of all contacts of Darya Shipilova had ended without finding infectious disease, after nearly 5,000 lab tests. He said she died of community-acquired pneumonia and that no accident occurred at the institute. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had called most media reports false, and Russia denies a second case.
Cause still unclear
Rospotrebnadzor speaks of pneumonia of unknown cause, while local outlet Lyudi Baikala reported pneumonic plague. The US and EU have urged Russia to be transparent.
Other opinions
Breitbart sets Tedros's firm tone against WHO's early handling of Wuhan in 2020.