A 28-year-old Siberian plague lab worker died days after falling ill, nearly 200 people are under observation, and now Trump says he’ll call Putin

President Donald Trump has announced plans to speak with Vladimir Putin regarding the death of a 28-year-old laboratory worker at a plague research facility in Siberia. Trump said he is currently engaged in deep discussions and expects to provide an update on his talks with the Russian leader, probably on Thursday, according to the BBC.

Despite this, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that no phone call has been scheduled between the two leaders. The United States has also issued a formal diplomatic message requesting additional information, though Peskov claimed he was not aware of such a request. Trump, who this week attacked The New York Times over its rally coverage, has offered Russia help.

The lab worker, Darya Shipilova, reportedly fell ill days before she passed away. Unconfirmed Russian media reports suggest she may have become sick after breaking a test tube containing a pathogen at the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East. Another account points to a nearby field trip, as the plague occurs naturally in wild rodents there.

The Kremlin says the media is getting this story wrong

The World Health Organization, or WHO, has stepped in, with head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calling for full transparency from Russia. Ghebreyesus emphasized that timely and complete information sharing is essential to clarify conflicting reports and assess public health risks. However, in response, Peskov has accused the media of reporting false information and insisted that Russia followed standard practice in reporting the death.

Russian officials have not confirmed that the disease involved was pneumonic plague, as they say the cause of death is still under investigation. The Russian health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, maintains that there are no epidemic risks for the population in the Irkutsk region. However, Peskov has urged the public to rely only on the health watchdog’s official statements.

The watchdog stated that over 90% of individuals who had contact with the victim have finished medical observation, and no health disorders related to infectious pathology were found. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US has measures available to assist Russia if the situation proves more serious than currently claimed.

Pneumonic plague is a serious lung infection and is often described as the most virulent form of the disease. It has a very short incubation period, sometimes as brief as 24 hours, and can be fatal if not caught early. The bacterium responsible, Yersinia pestis, is found in local rodents like marmots. Other countries are taking their own precautions as the cause of death remains unconfirmed.

Mongolia has ordered health surveillance measures on its border with Russia, though officials noted the current risk level remains low. Lithuania has also prepared to manage potential cases, confirming that laboratory testing is available and that it has the necessary medicine stocks. Confusion has been fueled by shifting reports from Russian authorities.

Initially, the health watchdog stated the worker died of pneumonia of an undetermined etiology, claiming tests showed no microorganisms related to her professional work. However, a pro-government federal news outlet then deleted five posts that mentioned a possible plague case. Similarly, local authorities in the town of Baikalsk removed a message advising against traveling to Shelekhov because of a possible infection.

The warning cited unofficial information about a plague case, and it stayed online for almost two hours. The World Health Organization has also asked Russia to clarify media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause. Trump said he expects to report on his talks with Putin on Thursday, and the Kremlin has indicated it could arrange a call if Washington requests one.