Russia has dismissed reports of a second plague case as false information. The World Health Organization is seeking more information on the death of an employee at a Russian plague research lab, who Russia claims died of pneumonia of unknown origin. The WHO has urged Russia to provide more information on suspected pneumonic plague cases.
The CDC has described the risk to the US as extremely low, noting that about 200 people per year travel from the Siberian region to the US. Russia's dismissal of the second plague case comes as the WHO continues to seek more information on the situation.
The WHO's request for more information is part of its efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding the death of the employee at the Russian plague research lab. The CDC's assessment of the risk to the US is based on the limited number of travelers from the affected region.
Evidence lens
2 independent sources supported this briefing.