US urges Russia to share vital details over suspected plague fatality
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States will help Russia, adding that the outbreak is a 'big problem for Russia'
In a latest update U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on Moscow to provide full transparency regarding the death of a laboratory technician in Siberia, urging Russian officials to share critical data with the international community.
Rubio said on Tuesday that Russia should share more information about the death of a plague laboratory worker who died last week, an incident which he said Washington was watching "very closely".
"I think it's incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world,” Rubio told reporters in Iceland.
The technician, who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, died under unusual circumstances that triggered local health protocols, heightened regional anxieties, and sparked unconfirmed domestic reports of a potential pathogen exposure.
Speaking during an international press briefing, Rubio emphasized that Washington is monitoring the developing situation hour by hour, maintaining that openness is vital given the sensitive nature of biological research facilities.
Russian authorities have said the situation is under control.
Rubio said the US has "measures" available to help Russia if the situation turns out to be more serious than has so far been acknowledged, but needed to know more before it could step in.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States will help Russia, adding that the outbreak is a "big problem for Russia."
While Russian health authorities have sought to project calm and downplay fears of an epidemic, local medical facilities instituted targeted containment and screening measures for individuals who came into close contact with the worker.
The World Health Organization and global observers have noted that while the overall public risk appears low, the lack of detailed disclosures from Russian state agencies has amplified international scrutiny.
Washington has reiterated its readiness to offer medical and technical assistance to help manage the situation.
