A woman in Russia has died after contracting a mysterious illness that officials suspect may be pneumonic plague, NBC News reports. The case has drawn attention because the woman was reportedly a laboratory worker, raising questions about how she became infected.
According to NBC News, the death has prompted scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the illness. The Economist reports that the plague may have escaped from a laboratory in Siberia, though that claim has not been confirmed. AP News reports that Russia and other countries are responding to the possible case, with health authorities tracking the situation.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring the risk, Axios reports, and has said it is prepared for any potential threat. A former senior Trump administration official told Fox News that the Russian researcher's death could be "far worse" than the plague, though no specific alternative explanation was provided in the reporting.
Pneumonic plague is a form of plague that affects the lungs and can spread through respiratory droplets, according to NBC News. It is considered more dangerous than bubonic plague because it can be transmitted person to person. The source material did not include further details on symptoms, treatment or the number of people potentially exposed.
What to watch next: whether Russian authorities confirm the cause of death and whether the CDC or other health agencies issue formal guidance.
