WHO Addresses Death at Russian Plague Laboratory; No Further Cases Identified

GENEVA — The World Health Organization (WHO) commented on the death of a laboratory worker in Russia who died after accidental exposure to the plague bacterium. The incident occurred at a research facility in Siberia, according to officials.

The Russian State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology, known as Vector, confirmed the death. The worker sustained an accidental needle stick during an experiment involving the _Yersinia pestis_ pathogen, the bacterium responsible for plague. The facility, located in Koltsovo, is one of two centers globally authorized to store smallpox viruses.

Russian health officials reported no additional cases of plague among individuals who had contact with the deceased worker. They initiated an investigation into the incident.

Pneumonic plague, the form of the disease contracted by the worker, affects the lungs and can spread directly from person to person through airborne droplets. This form of plague is generally considered the most serious due to its rapid progression and potential for transmission. Untreated, it can be fatal within 18 to 24 hours of symptom onset.

The WHO monitors outbreaks of infectious diseases globally. Donald Trump, then-President of the United States, publicly expressed concern regarding the incident.