US President Donald Trump has said he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the mysterious death of a laboratory worker at a plague research center in Siberia.
Speaking on Thursday, October 7, 2026, Trump said discussions between Washington and Moscow were already underway and indicated that he expected to speak with Putin soon.
“So far we are in very deep discussions,” Trump said,.
Further, he stated that he would be able to report on his talks with the Russian leader “probably”.
According to the BBC, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, said no phone call between Trump and Putin had been scheduled.
What happened to Russian lab worker?
The expected conversation comes amid growing international concern over the death of a 28-year-old laboratory worker at the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
Russian authorities have not confirmed that the woman died from pneumonic plague. Officials say they are investigating the cause of death and have repeatedly insisted that there is no risk of an epidemic.
The laboratory worker was identified in Russian media as Darya Shipilova, who reportedly became ill several days before her death.
Unconfirmed reports suggested she may have fallen ill after breaking a test tube containing a pathogen at the research facility. Another theory was that she could have been exposed during a field trip to an area where plague naturally occurs among wild rodents.
WHO calls for transparency
The uncertainty surrounding the case has prompted calls for Russia to provide more information.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Russia to share information transparently so the potential public health risk could be properly assessed.
“Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks,” Tedros said.
Peskov said Russia had reported the death to the WHO in accordance with standard procedures and accused media outlets of spreading “false information.”
The US has also reportedly sent a formal diplomatic message to Russia requesting additional information about the case. Peskov said he was not aware of such a request.
Nearly 200 people monitored
Reports first emerged on Friday that almost 200 people had been placed under observation in the Irkutsk region following the laboratory worker’s death.
Russia’s health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, has sought to reassure the public, saying there was no evidence of an outbreak.
“There are no epidemic risks for the population of Irkutsk and the Irkutsk region,” the watchdog said.
It added that more than 90% of people who had been in contact with the woman had “completed medical observation” and that “no health disorders associated with infectious pathology were detected”.
The agency initially said the woman had died of “pneumonia of an undetermined etiology” and that tests had found “no microorganisms related to her professional activities”.
Despite the official assurances, speculation about a possible plague infection intensified after a pro-government federal news outlet deleted five posts referring to a potential plague case.
Authorities in the town of Baikalsk also removed a message advising people against travelling to Shelekhov because of a possible plague infection.
Mongolia and Lithuania take precautions
Neighbouring Mongolia has introduced precautionary measures along its border with Russia amid the uncertainty.
The country’s health ministry said it would “maintain continuous surveillance and monitoring to prevent potential risks”, while stressing that “the current risk level is low”.
Lithuania has also prepared for a possible case, although officials said there was currently no evidence of an elevated threat.
Nerija Kaulakien, an adviser at Lithuania’s Ministry of Health Communications Division, told ELTA that laboratory testing was available and that suspected patients could be isolated in infectious disease hospitals.
She said health authorities were also prepared to identify contacts and had stocks of medicines suitable for treating plague.
“There was no evidence of ‘an increased risk of plague’ at the moment,” Kaulakien said.
Pneumonic plague is a severe form of plague that affects the lungs and can be particularly dangerous if not treated promptly.
