Plague in Siberia, WSJ: Washington presses Moscow for note on death

The State Department accuses Russia of having provided insufficient information on the causes that led to the death of a researcher from the Irkutsk anti-plague institute and recalls its obligations under the International Health Regulations

The US is increasing pressure on Russia to shed light on the death of a researcher working in an anti-plague institute in Irkutsk, Siberia, and on the subsequent quarantine measures adopted by the Russian authorities. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Washington sent an official note, known as démarche, to Moscow, asking for greater transparency on the incident and compliance with international communication obligations in the health sector. In the communication, the State Department claims that failure to disclose detailed information on the researcher's death could constitute a violation of international commitments for the management of health emergencies.

A new element of tension in US-Russia relations

The case adds a further element of tension between Washington and Moscow. President Donald Trump, who in recent months has sought to improve relations with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and make progress in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, told the media that he had scheduled a phone call with the Kremlin leader "soon." Asked about what US intelligence agencies were reporting about the incident, the president said he should be able to provide more details later in the day.

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Rubio: "We need more information"

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also defined the information shared by Moscow as "still rather limited", without referring to the confidential diplomatic communication. “We urge Russia to be transparent and share more information with the world, so that we can all react adequately and appropriately,” added Rubio, who is on a mission to Iceland to discuss security cooperation in the Arctic. "Maybe there's nothing serious. Maybe the matter is more serious than we thought. We don't know."

Doubts about the causes of death

Four days after the death of the researcher, identified by local media as Daria Shipilova, the Russian authorities have not yet communicated a precise cause of death, limiting themselves to stating that it occurred due to pneumonia. The absence of details has fueled questions about the woman's possible exposure to a pathogen during the laboratory work and the adequacy of the measures taken by Russia to contain what authorities have described as an infectious disease.

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Pneumonic plague, suspected case in Siberia: symptoms and contagion

The obligations under the International Health Regulations

Under a 2005 global health agreement, known as the International Health Regulations, countries are required to notify the World Health Organization (WHO) within 24 hours of any event that may develop into a public health emergency of international concern. The agreement also requires signatories to provide detailed updates, including laboratory results and measures taken to contain the threat.

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