WHO is interacting with Russian authorities on the case of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Irkutsk

The World Health Organization (WHO) has established cooperation with Russian relevant departments to monitor the situation related to the detection of pneumonia of unknown etiology in an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier reported this in a comment to TASS.

According to a representative of an international organization, the purpose of the dialogue is to comprehensively verify the circumstances of the incident. In particular, WHO experts are requesting data on the progress and results of laboratory tests, contact tracing methodology, their current health status, and also assess the possible consequences of this situation for the global public health system.

Lindmeier emphasized that, based on preliminary unofficial information, the organization assesses the level of threat to public health as low. He also clarified that the circle of people who had contact with the sick person has been completely determined. All of them have been taken under medical observation, and at the moment, none of the contact persons have shown clinical symptoms of the disease.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that the United States is ready to help Russia in connection with the detection of pneumonia of unknown etiology in the Irkutsk region.