US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that American officials are closely tracking reports of a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia, while stressing that the situation does not currently warrant alarm.
Concern intensified after Russian researcher Darya Shipilova, 28, reportedly died several days after accidentally dropping a vial containing live plague bacteria at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia last week.
Russia has said Shipilova died from “unidentified pneumonia” rather than plague. Even so, neighboring nations including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia have strengthened health screenings and border precautions.
Rubio acknowledged that a pneumonic plague outbreak could spread rapidly if confirmed, but said the immediate risk to the United States appeared limited, in part because there are no direct commercial flights linking the US and Russia.
“There’s very limited travel between the US and Russia, obviously,” Rubio told journalists on Monday before departing for Iceland.
“But like anything else, something like that gets out and could quickly spread. So we’re watching and monitoring it closely.”
“I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it. And we’re doing that,” he added.
The Kremlin is believed to be attempting to minimize attention surrounding Shipilova’s death on October 2, while allegations of a possible official cover-up continue to circulate widely.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that reports of a potential plague outbreak in Russia were not “cause for alarm,” although US authorities are monitoring developments.
Residents filmed a worker wearing full protective equipment in Shelekhov, in Russia’s Irkutsk Region, after a local hospital was partially closed following the death of a young woman.
Daria Shipilova, 28, worked as a laboratory assistant at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East.
Reports suggest authorities imposed restrictions on hospitals and medical facilities across an area spanning roughly 30 square miles after Shipilova died.
Approximately 200 people thought to have come into contact with the scientist have reportedly been placed under medical supervision or isolated while officials investigate the circumstances of her death.
More than 60 of Shipilova’s colleagues are also expected to remain inside the Siberian research center, where reports say they have been sleeping on floors and chairs despite none testing positive for plague.
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Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said no additional cases had been reported among institute employees seeking treatment since Shipilova’s death. He maintained that sanitary conditions across the region remained stable.
Plague is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium. People most commonly contract it through the bite of an infected flea or contact with an infected animal.
The usual flea-borne form attacks the lymph nodes, but the infection can progress to pneumonic plague, its most dangerous variant. That form affects the lungs and may pass from person to person through respiratory droplets during close contact.
The disease is historically associated with the Black Death, which killed millions across Europe during the Middle Ages. Estimates indicate that between 30 and 60 percent of the continent’s population may have died, representing roughly 75 million to 200 million people.
Cases of plague are uncommon in the United States, but the illness can be fatal if treatment is delayed. US health officials say it is treatable with widely available antibiotics, particularly when medication is given promptly.
Reports indicate that as many as five hospitals in and around Irkutsk have been placed in “epidemic” mode, with hundreds of patients and medical workers reportedly barred from leaving.
A view of the Medical Assistance and Rescue Centre, an infectious diseases hospital, in the town of Shelekhov in the Irkutsk region, Russia, October 5, 2026
Reports claim that drugs used to treat the disease are running out in the region, leaving terrified residents piling into pharmacies and medical facilities demanding supplies.
In its only comment on the case, the Kremlin said the public should only trust updates coming from the official health agency.
‘One should rely on official statements from Rospotrebnadzor rather than listening to various rumors and speculation,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today.
The State Department said that it is monitoring the outbreak with the help of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other interagency partners.
A US official said in a statement: ‘We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly … Plague is a known disease and is treatable with common antibiotics, especially when treatment starts early. Cases occur naturally in many parts of the world.’
Health and Human Services (HHS) referred Our News Outlet to the State Department’s comment.
Our News Outlet contacted the White House for comment.
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