A staff member at a Siberian anti-plague institute has died, and nearly 200 people are now under observation, according to The Moscow Times. Reuters reports that dozens have been quarantined at the facility following the worker's death.
The incident occurred at a lab in Irkutsk, in Siberia. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that staff at the Siberian Anti-Plague Institute have been isolated. Forbes reports that the World Health Organization has commented on the death, and that U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed concern.
Euronews.com has published an explainer on pneumonic plague, covering how it spreads and what risk it poses to Europe. The outlet's reporting examines the transmission and the level of threat to the continent.
Pneumonic plague is one of several forms of plague and can spread between people through respiratory droplets, according to Euronews.com. The outlet's explainer addresses how the disease moves through populations and assesses the danger it presents to Europe.
The death at the Irkutsk facility has drawn attention because the institute specializes in plague research. The Moscow Times places the number of people under observation at nearly 200, while Reuters describes dozens in quarantine. The two figures reflect different scopes of monitoring and isolation as reported by each outlet.
The World Health Organization's comments, reported by Forbes, come as authorities track those who may have had contact with the deceased worker. Trump's expression of concern, also reported by Forbes, indicates the incident has drawn attention beyond Russia.
What to watch next: whether additional cases emerge among those under observation, and whether the WHO issues further guidance on the incident.
