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EU Watches Suspected Plague Case After Russian Lab Worker Dies. The European Union is closely monitoring a suspected case of pneumonic plague in Russia after a laboratory worker died in the Siberian region of Irkutsk. The woman worked at an anti-plague research institute and died after developing pneumonia, prompting health authorities to place people who had been in contact with her under medical observation. Russian authorities have not confirmed that she had plague, describing her illness as pneumonia of unknown origin and saying that tests had not identified plague-related microorganisms. Reports have nevertheless raised concerns about a possible accidental exposure at the research facility, where staff work with plague bacteria, although that account has not been confirmed. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is monitoring the situation and says the likelihood of infection for people in the EU/EEA living in or travelling to affected areas is low. The case has also attracted attention in Washington, with the US administration monitoring reports and urging Russia to share information about the situation. Pneumonic plague is a serious form of plague that can spread through respiratory particles, although it can be effectively treated with antibiotics when diagnosed early.
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